


Shadow Dancing In The Mists of Time

by JoACurl



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-03 04:21:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 103,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6596482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoACurl/pseuds/JoACurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Paul Perkins has a chance by some mysterious means to have a dance with the girl of his dreams, he finds that by a fluke of happenstance he and his girl are thrown into another world and back in time in a land of mists, vampires, werewolves, dragons, gypsies and elves they find themselves in the middle of a power struggle between two powerful dark lords and one of which believes Cody's woman is his long lost love come back to him.  The race is on to try and find a way home or be forever lost in the land that the mists of time forgot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter1

At a hotel on a hill in Tennessee in the Great Smokey Mountains

The air was crisp and clear as Juliana and Sally walked across the open patio of the Hotel, they were headed to a dance with a theme in the ballroom. Juliana had dressed as Victoria Winters from Dark Shadows while Sally had taken a more masculine approach as THE Cat's female cat burglar. Sheila had just dressed in her shorts not wanting to join in. Entering the dimply lit ballroom they found a table close to the bar and to the door.

Sally teased her sis, "Do you think the virgin is here hoping to lose his cherry?”

Juliana sighed, "He is too sweet and his friends want him sexually educated Sally I am so damn tempted, but he is so young! I am desperate but not enough to hurt a sweet young guy like Paul." She sighed softly but she did get hot thinking about how he made her feel so tiny when he stood next to her.

"You gonna dance?” Juliana looked at her sister watching Zorro’s nice tight butt in his costume.

“I don't dance." Sally grumped out. “What about you?”

Juliana smiled, "Maybe if he asks."

Leigh appeared behind them dressed as Endora from Bewitched. "Well what now?"

Juliana laughed, “We get a drink and I want a diet anything." She shifted in her seat and looked around the room expectantly looking for someone that might ask her to dance.

Across the dance floor, the virgin in question was sitting with his family in the shadows. He tried not to stare at Juliana but he did. But he had a bad crush on her. He was too scared and shy to walk over to her and talk to her. His sister told him to go on and go and he looked down at his soft drink on the table. He was blushing and she was amused. “You like her Paul, go talk to her for gosh sake what is the worse she can do?” Paul glanced up and noted the eager look on his sister’s face.

“You spent more time with her, you go talk to her, I am going to just sit here and wait for the judging of the costumes.” Paul slid back in his chair and watched his sister all bright and bubbly skittered to their table and he could hear them laughing and telling her how cute she looked. Paul overheard Juliana ask where he was and she nodded her head to him in the corner. Juliana looked over to the direction where he sat and he ducked his head and blushed and cursed his sister for being so forward, he could see the light of curiosity in her gaze and the smile that so easily teased the corner of her mouth.

 

A time and a land long forgotten

In a keep in a land out of space and time, the young magi stood over his bowl and frowned how the hell did this happen. He thought about his spell, he had picked Paul because he reminded him of Rondu the Ranger. Rondu had been his friend and had protected him and his kind from the trial seekers and hunters for years. He was sorry Rondu had finally lived his life as full as he could and had passed on to whatever deity he had called his. Which made him happy he did not have to travel the wastelands forever. Elrod began to mumble softly thinking about his spell.

"From future to past, to past to future bring the mind and body to become one."

Crap, Elrod realized that was not the right one! No wonder I have a 43-year-old Paul in a 23-year-old Paul's body. Well I have to correct this now!" He continued to mumble and paced back and forth. Stopping he snapped his fingers and smiled. "I got it, turning back to the bowl he lifted his wand. To your greatest desire and from the distant you shall live as you had hoped and to that end you shall be as Rondu with your Lady Love. . . “He could at least try and get them together he had seen how he had watched the vixen most the day with her carefree ways and attitude. He did admire the fact that she was smart to a degree but seemed to be sad too. “She needs to be loved he needed to be loved, why the hell not?” He thought. He whirled the wand around and watched and then realized he had screwed up again and shouted, “To the Land of the Mists and times forgotten not . "

Ballroom of the Hotel

Juliana was looking back at Paul thinking what it would be like to dance with him. Then she saw his body jump, he looked at his hands and arms like it was new to him. Next he said something to his father. He stood up took off his glasses sticking them in a case and put the case in his hip pocket. Paul walked out of the shadows. Juliana smile a little when she saw he was dress like Napoleon Solo, From the Man From UNCLE. Wearing black pants, turtleneck, and boots wearing a shoulder holster sporting a 45 automatic weapon. How she identified whom he was dressed as; was the fact he also wore a yellow badge with the number 11.

She watched Paul walk up to the DJ’s platform and spoke to the DJ. Juliana figured he was making a request. She smiled watching him turn from the DJ and walk directly to her table. With every confident step he took Juliana squirmed in her chair and watched him approach their table. Juliana’s heart was beating a little faster and she studied his body language and noted it had changed. He appeared to be determined and directed. Then she saw his face and gaze. Curiously she saw that his eyes were not the same. They no longer appeared to be the eyes of a young man. Especially the young man that she had met yesterday in town. This was the look of a predator, an old wolf that was decisive and confident and was very directed to what his purpose was or should have been.

He approached her table, taking his protective and decided gaze from Juliana’s expectant look and timid smile he directed that cold calculated look at Leigh and said in a low threatening voice, “Stay away from the DJ platform.” It was a tone that chilled her to her bones. Then he looked at Juliana and held out his right hand. Without one word uttered she looked at his hand and then took it not knowing what was going on. Bringing her tiny hand to his lips he bent his head and placed a light kiss on the back of her hand and spoke with a hint of seduction to his voice. T “May I have the honor of a dance with you?”

“Yes…” she said a smile while getting up. They walked to the dance floor. He nearly towering over her and she feeling small next to him, walked with him to the center of the dance floor. The DJ was watching Paul and he nodded to the DJ and the DJ returned the nod. The DJ changed the song from a fast one to a slow song. The music was hauntingly sweet and very mood setting for a night of romance and seduction. He took her right hand in his left and his right hand when to the small of her back. Juliana press her body into Paul’s and gave themselves over to the music and being held in each other’s arms. She could feel his arms wrapped securely around her and holding her close. He whispered in her ear. “When the dance is over, would you care to take this outside under the moon?”

She smiled and looked demurely to the floor and then into his eyes and lost herself in his look. Smiling she whispered breathlessly, “Yes milord.” A hint of the old world coming into play, she blushed a soft shade of pink which he found delightful and wondered if she would blush under the sheets if he ever go the opportunity to see or experience that part of her. When the music ended, Paul took her hand and walk with Juliana outside into the garden. Juliana’s heart was racing with anticipation to wondering if in the romantic setting he was escorting her to if he would kiss her as they walked hands entwined with each other.

Paul meandered the private patio and garden secluded and obscured from the public and designed for the guests to use if they sought peace and quiet. Paul would explain to her about the various foliage and flowers that were housed in the green house area. Juliana twisted and stooped down to look at the flowers not saying a word. He walked her to a secluded area from all prying eyes or interruptions. Finding a private place in the garden with a sweetheart bench; designed in an S fashion. Paul lead her to the bench and she sat down then Paul took the seat next to her. Juliana and Paul felt their bodies tingle and not from the sexual tension that was building between them. The tingling sensation was making itself known from the magic that was beginning to surround them including the very air around them.

Sitting down Paul turned to look into the darkness. Juliana started gently massage Paul’s back. Teasingly because he had turned his back to her she asked, “Am I so hideous that you cannot look at me?”

“No, put those thought out of your head.” Then he slowly turned his head to look at her. His confusion was this was his opportunity that he allowed to slip through his fingers those years ago. He had been given a second chance to explore his crush. Now she sat next to him, pliable and willing to accept whatever he wanted to give her and he wanted her. He wanted to touch her to feel her to explore every part, every nuance, ever bit of what she was. He could not believe his luck. How had this happened and worse yet why was he thinking this when he had her and she was kissing her and she was kissing him. Closing his eyes he continued with the sweet kiss that was growing with every second into unrequited passion between them both. She was hot for him and he was now hot for her.

She did not question the fact that the one she had called a virgin was now acting like a very knowledgeable male with his own needs and demands, which made her wonder if he were a virgin? At this point he had her so hot and in need that she did not care. Breaking the kiss she stared into his eyes and she smiled. “Well that was a surprise, for a young man that appeared to be afraid of me, you certainly have changed in my opinion.” Her words were cut off when he smiled and pressed his lips to hers. His hands were wrapped around her body. She opened her mouth to take his tongue into her mouth. Her hand moved between his legs and felt his organ get bigger with each heartbeat. With each passion filled moment that was being exchanged between them.

He broke the kiss and looked deeply in her eyes and she looked in his. And he attacked her lips again while his hands started to explore her body. The soft moan of need escaped her lips as she allowed her hands to explore his body, running her nails lightly down his chest and over his taunt nipples caused him to sit back and smile. Sliding down on his knees he smiled into her smoldering passion filled eyes, her tongue snaked out to lick the top of her lips wetting them and that made him want her more, to show her he was not that scared boy she had met and teased the day before. Sliding his hand between her milky thighs he separated them, allowing his fingertips to drag their way up to the hot moistness that cried out for him to taste and enjoy.

From the shadows, Sally saw her friend Juliana doing what she told her not to do. Not wishing to interrupt and would deal with her sis later, Sally muttered, “Big mistake.” She walked away planning to give her grief for sexually educating the young man when she was told not to touch him. Sally went in search of Zorro and left Juliana to her own devices. Who was she to stop her sis from having some fun, she might have to find Zorro for her own romp in the garden. Turning she went back into the dance.

Their heat beginning to turn to lust and need, Juliana looked around and found a spot in the darkest corner of the garden and whispered in her emotionally charged and husky voice, “Come, with me.” She smiled and took his hand to lead him back to the darkest corner. Paul smiled and followed her, finding a bench against the building Paul smiled, lifted her up on the bench so she was nose to nose with him. Lifting her skirt he found she was wearing a garter belt and no panties. He smiled, “Were you planning on something tonight?” His imagination on overdrive he wondered if she left her panties off because she had intended to seduce him? Well she was in for a surprise it was his turn to make her eyes change color with her passion filled emotions.

She laughed, “I actually was hoping you would ask me to dance and that this would happen.” She breathed against his lips and his neck as she feathered kisses over his face and neck, which her hands explored him. “I want that,” she teased as she felt how hard his sex had become. He was exploring with his expert fingers her inner most sensitive parts and he laughed against her lips.

“I want this.” He rubbed his hand over her heated part of her body and she giggled softly wiggling against his hand as his finger teased her moistness that seemed to beg to be taken and was responding to his artful manipulations of her softness and her excitable part that caused her to grow moister. Slipping an expert finger into that moistness he could feel how tight she was and was more than anxious to take him anyway she could get him. Smiling he slowly planted hot moist kisses up to that center part of her body that begged to be his and to enjoy. Deftly he began to feather tiny kisses over he out lips, using a finger to open up the gates of her womanhood, he began to run his tongue up and down her slit. She tasted sweet, nothing like he had experienced before and she smelt like strawberries there, he smiled lifted his wet face and asked, “Was expecting this.” He watches her eyes widen and then she smiled.

“A girl can dream.” She was almost breathless with her pent up passion. “You are my first in almost nine years. I have not been with a man since my divorce.” She whispered and took his hand to lick his fingers tasting her on his fingers she looked at him over the top of his fingers while he took his free hand to drive it into her tightness that now enveloped his finger with her hot moistness tightness.

“God you are tight.” He whispered against her lips helping her lick the taste of her from his fingers. He was surprised she leaned over to lick the wetness from his face and she held a look to her gaze that promised him a moment of ecstasy between her legs and in that juicy honey pot he now fingered vigorously. “I got to have you, I want you so bad, and do you want me?” He whispered against her lips grabbing her tongue with his teeth to gently nip her. He heard that deep throaty chuckle and could feel how she was wetting his hand.

“What do you think, I want you so bad right now Paul, and I want to feel your hot hardness deep within me so I can show you something special that I learned to do. Oh and the reason I am so tight.” She kissed him and broke the kiss and looked him in the eyes “I never had children. I could not carry term. I am sterile Paul; you don’t need to worry about a disease from me. And you will not have to worry if I would get pregnant. I can’t. All I have left is the playpen.” She chuckled and ground herself against his hand as he fingers continued to work their magic on her tenderness she was eager to give him. “Well, I suppose we should help each other out.” She spoke and the seduction was gone and now all that was replaced was her need and her feeling of wanting him and needing him. He chuckled and she felt him undo his pants. She slid down to her knees and felt him push her back.

“No this is for me. This is what I want and you will follow my lead.” He chuckled watching her scoot back and look at him curiously. He once again slowly worked his way up to the v that was the apex of her being and a part she was now offering to him. Gently, he licked her and then began to travel up her patch to her belly button, she had unbuttoned her shirt and he could see she was braless under the silk top, working his way to her nice size breasts he had only wondered at them and now he had them laid out before him. Massaging one of them he nursed on the other and looked up into her smoldering eyes. “Do you want me?”

“Look your friends wanted me to teach you now you are going to teach me? Who am I to argue?” Her voice was barely contained to keep any semblance to anything normal, she was ready for this and he loved the fact she squirmed in anticipation. It was his time to turn the tables on that lost moment from so long ago and now he had her where he had dreamed of getting her for so many years afterwards. He loved how she laughed and now she chuckled softly and waited to see where this was going next. “What was the question again? Do I want you? I want you so bad right now if you do not give me what I want I am going to explode.”

Paul smiled, that smile was a smile of a wolf on the prowl and he and he had found his female in heat and he wanted her but before he committed he wanted to hear her say it one more time. Hearing her say that, he spoke against her breasts that tasted like strawberries too, she must have smeared flavoring over her breasts and her lips to the gate of his moment of surrender. “Guide me in.” He whispered his hands were occupied, he had two nice breasts that needed his attention and she was hot and he could feel how hot her crotch had gotten just in anticipation. She had felt him drag that huge rock hardness up to her gate and she wanted it in her. She reached down and gently began to run her fingertip over the top of his sex, feeling the pre lubrication she laughed and said softly to him.

“Do you want me Paul that is the real question here, do you want me?” Her voice had grown soft with her lust and he looked up from licking her nipple with his hot tongue and smiled.

“What do you think?” She laughed and gently pulled him to her opening taking the head of his sex to run it up and down her slit to make them both moist she guided him into her and he was for a moment shocked, she was more than just tight, she was incredibly tight. He reasoned because she was small to begin with that she would be small there and the fact she had not been stretched out by delivering children made it extra special. He felt the slightest resistance as he pushed into her hot moistness. Then she did the most incredible thing, she clamped her stomach muscles down on the hardness that filled her to the hilt of his sex, she did with a simple muscle contraction clamp down on him making him feel she would take his shaft off at his sack.

She chuckled watching the look of wonder and was there a little fear that came over that gaze. She laughed and by laughing she tightened down more on his sex he was about to cum and he had not been in her to please her. Concentrating he began to move in her and she arched her back and accepted him deeper into her hot moist tightness each time he drove deeper she would clamp that muscle down on his member bringing up his need for release. “You are not going to win on this for stamina Paul, give in to me so we can go get us a room and make this more pleasurable.” He could feel the core temperature of her cradle beginning to grow hotter she was manipulating him with her own body by pure will; she was climbing for a climax too. So he picked up his speed and began to drive deeper into her until he felt his own release coming and he slammed into her hearing the smack of his sack against her bare bottom. She dug her fingernails lightly into his back and arched to take all of him into her. She gasped out his name, her eyes half closed as she felt his release into her. He moaned as he released and felt himself spent out into that tight moistness then as he finished he used his sex to blend their juices together. She giggled and that tightened her down on him again. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a hankie and began to clean himself off and then he gently cleaned her.

“I think you are right we could do so much more educating in a room. Come on, let’s go get a room.” He leaned down and kissed her deeply. “I want to be with you all night, is that going to be a problem?” Juliana shook her head no. “They won’t miss since I know Sally saw us come out here together, she will know and I will leave a message for her of where I am.” She smiled and returned his kiss. She stopped and looked at him, “What about your family?”

He smiled, “Don’t worry about them, I will just let them know I have a date and will probably get my own room, which is what I told them earlier at dinner before I saw you walk in to the dance.” She laughed.

“Then I guess we have it worked out come on, I have missed this and you make me realize how great this can be with the right person.” He bent and kissed her lightly on her lips.

“I like you for more than just what we can do sexually you know.” He watched her blush and was delighted that there were things about her he could still learn. Walking slowly back to the hotel both of the two lovers noticed that things had changed while they were engaged in their education of each other. Looking around they noticed that the grounds had changed, and that there was a putrid feel to the air and a smell that reeked of death surrounded them.

“Um Toto I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.” Juliana quipped but Paul could tell she was nervous and upset not recognizing anything around them.

Paul trying to be a glib as she was spoke softly, “We were not in Kansas to begin with it was Tennessee.” Their little repartee’ was interrupted by a roar of some inhuman large sounding thing that flittered in and out of the shadows that had grown long around them. Paul spoke softly as he reached for his weapon in his shoulder holster.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work was co-authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 2

Paul stopped there was another low growl and a snort, Juliana likened it to something she had experienced in Texas one time. That was the day she had come up against a hell of a lot hot, it snorted and growled too, just like this but to her knowledge Tennessee did not have wild boars in this area. She felt Paul tense and then reach for his two forty-fives, “Shit.”

She had nothing with which to defend, looking around she found a hefty stick and twirled it in her hands. “What is it?” She whispered her eyes wide, her heart beating fast and now her breath coming in long hard gasps with the adrenalin she was pumping out right now it was almost as if she had run a marathon. Paul spun right then left his eyes shifting over the unfamiliar territory then spun back and stood still, she knew he had heard what she had. There it was again, that long blown out snort and a low grunt and a growl.

Juliana’s training as a police officer kicked in, she now was on high alert. Brushing up to his back they stood back to back in the middle of what appeared to be a roughhewed roadway. Both of them tense and feeling this was a fight or flight situation. They both scan the fog for something that they could not see. Juliana heard it and Paul saw it, and danced back pushing her away, he watched her stumble, fall roll over and come to a standing position, just as a big ax landed with a whoosh between the two where they had stood previously. Juliana tucked her dress up so her legs could be free to move. Paul lowered his head and assumed a t stance. From this position he could do easily a three hundred sixty defensive stance.

When the fog cleared enough they both were astonished to see a seven-foot tall huge muscled creature with ruddy orange skin, wearing a simple top and pants and boots. It carried a heavy ax and that hefted the huge ax as if it were nothing at all. He was swatting at them like they were gnats that were an annoyance to him and his peace of mind. He was as nasty looking with that skin but what made him more than just nasty he was fierce with those yellowish eyes and his long gnarly yellow tusks. His eyes are what caught them both by surprise, they appeared to be filled with a naked rage, and hate and it was directed at them.

“I only thought they were a myth Paul, “She whispered in a hushed kind of awe. She could see Paul was preparing to battle this thing and really felt he was badly out muscled and out distance by the sheer strength of this behemoth. That is when it made its move. The creature started charging towards Paul, with his ax held high. To Juliana’s astonishment, Paul was charging right back at it.

“PAUL WATCH. . . “ She closed her mouth watching him jump and spin towards the creature that was beginning to swing his ax. Juliana could tell by the arc of the ax and the way the creature used it indicated his intention was to cleave Paul in half. Watching the tactics Paul was going to use, she instantly recognized what he was going to do and put herself into a T-stance in case there were more but she was prepared to do whatever she could to protect his back. She continued to watch and was amazed at the agility and the deftness he displayed as he turned and arched his back to avoided the business end of the axe and landed square in the creatures chest off balancing him and knocking him hard enough backwards to make him drop the axe and staggered but did not fall.

Paul caught the axe before it hit the ground, spun it around and then with one powerful motion and strike, brought the axe down on its neck, cleaving it cleanly from its body. The brownish fluid that flowed from its neck was quickly absorbed into the dry cracked road, the ground almost seemed to tremble receiving this tribute. The ground swallowed the area that the creature where he buckled and fell forward. A soft puff of smoke erupted from the ground almost appearing to belch from receiving a full meal.

Paul could still see the look in the creature’s eyes when he struck true with the axe, there was a look of shock and disbelief in the creature’s eyes seeing the back of Paul’s boots before it died. Paul knew it was with a single heartbeat and the creature was dead.  
Paul turned and looked at Juliana who still stood on alert in her T-stance. “Are you ok?” he was immediately concerned noting she had become somewhat concerned and was still filled with apprehension.

She relaxed and nodded, “I am fine. Um, do you know what that creature was? I know what I think it was but it can’t exist. They were only written off as a myth.” Walking up to him, “Um by the way, where did you learn to do that?”

He laughed and shook off the dirt from his shirt, well what I think it is would be a Big and Ugly. At least that is what I would call it.” He dusted the shirt and pants off and said softly, “And I learn that as a stage manager in a show called Beauty and the Beast.” She smiled hooked her hand around the upper part of his right arm and looked around.

“Well I have seen stage managers do a lot of things but I have never seen them do that. Think we should see if it left anything behind since the earth seems to bury its own.” She thought that was an odd sight to see. Paul walked to the area they originally heard the creature and found a bag of coins, some honed bones, and a few odd looking pebbles that glowed in the darkness. Stopping to collect what they could, to prove that they were attacked, the two of them set off again heading to where they thought the hotel should be. The whole area did not feel right, it had a tension and an uneasy feeling to the whole area, and nothing was where it had been earlier when they first entered the gardens.

After what felt like an hour, Paul spoke first. “I am sorry I took you into the gardens. I feel like this is my fault. Never seen a fog like this blow in so quick, and I know we have been out here wandering around for over an hour. I guess if I had not asked you to the garden we would not be in a mess like this. By my calculations we should have been to the front entrance of the hotel for the amount of time we have been wandering around out here, we should be off the summit it was on. “

Juliana stopped and turned to look at him. “I am sorry too. Not for walk into the gardens. That was one thing I wanted. Even was prepared to make the first move if you had not. I was thinking about how to make it. But for the fact we are dealing with this fog and being lost. I don’t know what is going on. But we will get thru this I am an ex …..” She glanced up and saw something flickering ahead. She smiled, because she was sure it was a light. Grabbing his arm she looked excitedly and pointed to the light. “Look a light!”

They both picked up there pace advancing towards the soft light piercing through the fog. Upon their approach the fog slowly gave way to show the broken uneven ground had become a cobbled stoned street of an old world design. The light they saw was in a window of what looked like to be a kind of stone made church with artificial lighting. They made their approach cautiously the closer they got the more they noticed that it was a walled compound. Approaching the door, it was opened and a small wide-eyed boy smiled tensely and said softly, "Be quick, hurry before they get here."

After the attack in the fog, they did not question the words of the boy. Paul turned to Juliana and urged her to run, Juliana picked up bottom of her dress so she could run. Paul turned around to walk backwards, holding the axe in hands. He kept his ears alert to the fact that she had a good running start, and he was prepared to defend any possible future attacks that might come from the heavy fog. Although nothing was seen visually that meant nothing to a seasoned hunter and tracker like Paul. He knew most attacks could come from out of nowhere.

He was prepared to hide in the shadows to protect her, she had become his official concern and concern. His guilt for bringing her out into garden and putting them in this situation was coming home to bear on his pride and integrity. He kept his ears attuned to listening for one thing. When he heard her shoes hitting wood. That was his cue. He turned around and ran to the door at full speed. When he hit the door, he dropped the ax and spun around to help close the door.

An old man said, “Welcome strangers to this god forsaken land."

Juliana asked, rushing to Paul’s side clung to him like a vine to the bush. With the obvious question she asked, "What do you mean god forsaken land? We are in God’s country, the great Smokey Mountains, in Tennessee, right?"

The old man looked at the boy, "Take our guest and show them to their room." Then he turned and looked at Juliana and Paul. His voice was aged and his face was lined with years of living a hard life. He was bent somewhat and dressed as an old Priest in grey robes. His hands held a slight tremor to them. His words were kind. "You two are safe here. Rest and we will talk in the morning." He smiled and Juliana noted his yellowed teeth were sharpened to a point. His eyes held a hint of his past youth.

The boy waved them to follow him and they were shown to a comfortable looking room with a cheerful fire burning in the huge fireplace. The first thing Juliana noted there was no electricity; lamps and candlelight lit the room. The reason for the soft lightening in the room was the fireplace and candlelight. In the center wall across from the fireplace was a large bed, with furred coverings and soft cotton sheets. Closing the door behind the boy, Paul turned and looked at Juliana who was standing in the center of the room looking it over and seeming to be a little out of place. Trying to be positive he smiled and spoke softly, "Well it is better than a hotel room." We walked to Juliana and put his hands on her arms and then drew his fingertips up to her chin to lift her face up so he could look into her eyes. He smiled and bent down to place a light kiss on her lips and she returned the kiss with more passion than he expected.

Her accepting his touch, and her need to wipe out what they just went through she spoke to the only reasonable thought she could. "Well, I suppose you are right. Personally, I could do with a bath and a good night sleep.” She smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. “My first concern is what is going on? Where are we? “She turned and walked to set on the end of the bed.

I do not know. Not yet that is. But I do know this Juliana. He walked to the bed and stooped down between her legs and rested his palms on her thighs. “I know this we will get back home. I promise you that much." Leaning her body into his she cradled him close to her breasts and stroked his hair. He continued to try and reassure her, "One thing I learn in my long life is live in the moment for your next breath may be your last." He pushed up from between her legs and sat next to her taking her hand in his he looked at how small and delicate they were. His hands were large next to her tiny ones.

Juliana chuckled softly lifted his hand and kissed it lightly, “Long life? You sure sound wise for a 23 year old. Paul and you have learned that in that short period of time?” She kissed his hand; she could not believe how lucky she was to be in the arms of this young man who wanted to be old. “If you are not twenty-three years old then did you find the fountain of youth and if you did could you take me there?” '

Paul took off his gun harness. Then remove his turtleneck. Juliana started to lick her lips again. Sliding back on the bed she lay on her back and looked at the roughhewed wood ceiling that was filled with mortar. Letting her gaze slide over the room, she sighed, and then felt his hand creep up her top to her breasts where he cupped them and began to gently run his thumb over her nipple feeling it grow taunt, she leaned up and nipped his lips and smiled. “Now we can see how good the both of us can be in bed.”

He rolled on top of her and she struggled to get his pants down. Lifting her legs up and over his shoulders she pleaded with her eyes, to give her his sex. He smiled he was never one to deny a lady’s request. Guiding his sex into her tight warm moistness he felt only a slight resistance as he made entry. Together they began to move, the moment earlier had heightened their needs and their senses. If they were not going to live through the night they might as well enjoy the feel of their bodies together. Paul stopped long enough to flip her over and enter from behind. Running his hands down her arms to curl his fingers into her fingers he felt her lift her hips to meet his demands and he moved deeper to meet her demands. They began to grow hot with every move they made, he wanted it to be different but what they had they would make do. Pulling her up so she sat backwards on his hard hot sex made him want to release his seed deep inside her. Feathering light kisses down her neck he massaged her breasts in his palms.

He watched her inch her fingers down to her sex and began to massage her tiny bud, slowly he inched his hand over hers and replaced her fingers with his fingers and felt her arch her back. Closing her eyes she spoke in a passion filled voice. “Oh my god Paul, I am going to come!” He smiled he had pleased her in more ways than one and felt her body stiffen as she released he allowed his own seed to flow inside her and then wiggled around to mix their fluids together and then fell forward cradling her to his body protecting her from being crushed by his weight. Juliana snuggled close and threw her leg over his hip. “One more time?” She whispered and nipped his nose. He was ready so one more time he guided his sex deep into her hot moistness and found himself driving deeper than he had ever before on anyone woman he had bedded. At an angle he could drive himself deeper into her, and when she arched away he could go deeper. He felt the heat of her body growing with the heat of his body, and together they released their needs to each other, he grabbed her and kissed her deeply holding her close as he finished emptying his seed deep within her.

“Oh my god, Oh Juliana, you drive a man to distraction. You are incredible.” He kissed her neck and she giggled and he realized he was still hard inside of her and she was clamping down on his sex milking him dry, with the manipulations of her stomach muscles. “How can you do that?” He asked in wonder, He watched her smile then she winked.

“Ancient Chinese secret.” She left it at that and when the two had finally exhausted each other they fell into a deep sleep. In the morning the sunlight hit Paul in the face. He was lying on his back with Juliana’s head cradled on his left arm and half on his chest. Paul turned his chin to look down at her face. Gently almost tenderly he stroked her hair from small heart shaped face. Looking down at her features he gently traced his fingertips over her lips and then her cheek, she had cried out in her sleep during the night.

“Please no more, I won’t tell, I promise please no more!” She had twisted and turned and then sobbed. He frowned and then what she said next struck in to the core of his soul. “Please God let me die! No more! You don’t have the right to take me! I did not give you permission! Just let me die.” Then she flinched. He could almost tell it was a reaction to being shot. He had wondered about the scar on her stomach, the one that looked like a healed over wound. He wondered but did not want to ask if she did not want to volunteer. The thought of her being taken against her will filled him with more rage. There it was that past rage that had held him and sometimes cost him what he wanted. Now she had come into his life and suddenly with this moment seeing her at peace and sleeping so soundly protected in his arms it was slowly going away. The rage inside of him was calming and growing to nothing.

Relaxed in her sleep, he watched the rise and fall of her breasts, the even slow breathing and the way her eyelashes feathered across her cheekbones to make her eyes look bruised. She was very lovely. He tightened his hold on her and laid back down to look at the ceiling in the sunlight. This was one thing he missed when he was married to the shrew. She had been cold and uninviting to snuggle and cuddle. He missed that, having a lovely lady asleep in his arms. He slowly tried to move without waking her. She stirred a little but she fell back to sleep. She needed it after the last night. He smiled thinking of how they had used and abused each other in the throes of their needs and unchained lust.

Sliding on his pants he found the boy sleeping outside their door. “Um bathing room?” The boy nodded and pointed to the end of the hallway. Padding down the hallway he saw that the room was equipped with a rain barrel on the roof that could allow him a quick warm shower. Going back to gather his clothing he dressed quickly and quietly. He looked one more time p peacefully before he left the room.

His thoughts were a jumbled mess. ‘Why now?” He was analyzing how he had missed his chance of being with her all those years ago. But that was a question to be answer another time. The question now was where were, they and how to get back to Tennessee?

Paul walked out of the room and ran into the old man “I assume she is still asleep." He shuffled down the hallway to the head of the stairs not waiting for an answer. Paul paused to turn looking at the room where Juliana still slept. Turning back Paul looked at the old man. He now saw the old man and what he was. The old man was dressed as a monk and his eyes were milky not allowing for color. "Yes, she is. She did not rest well."

"Sure Paul. I know she did not rest well and I know why she has nightmares and will have nightmares for the rest of her life." Paul was shocked the old man knew his name.” The old man chuckled softly, “I know a lot and I know your name because she called out your name many times thru the night. I was not always a monk.” He gave him a wise wink and shuffled down the stairs. “Walk with me and yes I am blind." He spoke with his age-old voice. "I know you are wanting to know where you are. How you got here and why you are here. Please keep your questions until I am done.” He walked bent over and filled with his tired old bones and sat gingerly on a stool. ”I can tell you are a fighter. When you came through the door you had a hobgoblin battle-ax. So that tells me you are a fighter."

"Well it did not need at anymore." Paul said dryly, obviously the old man was nuts, he was talking about things that did not exist, except for movies and his nightmares. The old man chuckled then his voice grew harsh and he snapped.

"I said keep your mouth shut. What I know is this land is outside space and time. I came into the land years ago. I met others that came to this land like me. You two are from the future of Abeir Toril?"

“If you mean from Earth, which is what we call it. Yes we are."

"And you want to get back?"

"I do. I think she would like to go back."

"Well I can tell you this. This land is evil more than my fictional self."

"Your fictional self?"

The old man turned quickly and slammed Paul against the wall. Paul grunted and felt his head popped against the wall, almost clocking him. "I said keep your mouth shut. Your and her life will depend on you keeping your mouths shut." Then the old man let him go. "Walk with me. Keep your real name to yourselves. Magic is real here and they can use your real name against you. So, take another name."

Paul became aware of the smell of eggs, and bread being cooked. "Come stranger let us get you and your lady some food. You will need your strength to fight what is here."  
Juliana was awoke to the smell of food. Paul was sitting on the bed with a tray full of food. Juliana looked at his face and saw the concern and seriousness that had over taken him since his talk with the old man. Lifting up a piece of toast she tore it and nibbled, “What is going on?” She asked and watched him shift on the bed and then lift up a piece of bread and wrap it around some egg to feed her.

“The old man is a priest and well we are not in Tennessee, we are not even on Earth. Don’t ask me how it happened I don’t know but he is going to help us with our quest to get home.” He watched her guard her emotions under a set look and a drop of her eyelashes over her eyes, she knew her eyes shifted color with her emotions and she did not want him to know she was scared half to death at the thought they were not on earth. “Look babe, we got to give up our real names here, according to the old man we need to assume names. Not our owns we cannot have them hold us prisoner with their dark magic with the use of our real names

After a while, they both came out of the room. "M’lar, we need to get you a change of clothing and I know a bath.” He looked at her with a tenderness that almost allowed her to forget she was upset. “I am thinking that the way you are currently dressed may not be the best thing for this land. Look the old man gave me some gnomish armor. I will go get it and bring it to our bedroom. You can go in and change.” Juliana nodded slowly and followed him to the bathing chambers. Before entering, she turned and smiled. “For what it’s worth, I think you are right, Cody." She smiled. "You know I always saw you as a Cody what made you pick that name?"

Paul smiled bent over and kissed Juliana fully on the lips. "You did." She smiled and winked.

“Well bully for me.” She reached forward and caressed his cheek. Closed the door to take her shower and to get dressed


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co-authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 3

The Monastery of the Lost Priests

The old man shuffled into the common room of the monasteries open room. “You will be needing to choose how you wish to proceed in this unfamiliar and unfriendly land.’ He walked to Juliana and took his parchment feeling fingers and caressed her face. “Lovely, you are lucky, have you selected your names for her?” He smiled and sighed. “I once had a lover much like her.” He turned to Paul and waited.

“I will take the name Cody, she will be M’lar.”

The old man smiled, “Ah a scro name, how appropriate.” Walking across the room he paused. “Both of you follow me.” Juliana shoved the last of the muffin she had been chewing into her mouth lifted the wine goblet and downed the wine and walked next to Cody in her gnomish armor. Shuffling into large double rooms that to the both of them looked like a training room. The old man walked to a wall and opened the locked cabinets that lined the wall. When he unlocked the cabinets and opened the doors Cody and M’lar saw a sundry of weaponry displayed on the wall. “You will need these to help you get to the Mountains where you will find a cave, once you enter the cave, you will be expected to surrender something of value to the wizened one. He is the one that can send you back to your time.”

Walking to Juliana, he lifted her hand, kissed the back of it with his dry lips and spoke softly, “From this point on you shall carry the spells of a priestess, you shall follow the wise one and when you are needed to heal you will be able to heal, and when you are needed for spells you shall know your spells.” He then lifted his lips and pressed them to her face. “Carry a staff, you will know the right moves to wrestle and to use the staff to defend, in that cabinet is a magically induced one with a plus to hit and do damage. Take it with my blessings; Oghma gave it to me when I was once in a Priestess Home in New Damara. She too was called M’lar. But that is for another time and another place for that story to be told.” Turning from them he walked to the door and paused. “Young Cody, take the heart of a Ranger you will live longer here, you are a brave warrior but choose wisely.” The old man then continued out of the room and the only sound left was that of his robes being dragged along the floor.

Cody walked to the wall and with some thought and a lot of consideration managed to pick his weapons. He choose a short bow and silver tipped arrows, a single edge sword, three single edge knives, and a round shield. Taking his time to weigh the balance and the ability to control the weapon in his large hand. He smiled and turned to see what M’lar had selected, he noticed that she seemed to glow with the newly imbued powers that the old Monk had just instilled in her. She had stepped forward and with a single thought, reached for and grabbed a staff from the case. It vibrated in her hand and she spoke softly, “Elongate to six feet.” The staff began to shimmer and then grow. She smiled, “Now shrink to two feet.” Again the staff shimmered and shrunk. Spinning it like a baton in her hand she slid it into a frog on her belt of her gnomish armor. Looking at the cabinet, she reached for a slender but plain looking knife. Flipping it over in her hand she smiled and slid it into a sheath that hung on her gnomish armor.

The old man had entered when they had selected their weapons and spoke with a hint of admiration in his voice. “I see you have taken the plain weapons and you, “He looked at M’lar and smiled, “You know the way of the wise one, Denier and Oghma, you know that staff is magical. So you have learned the properties of the staff and a good choice for the knife, you will find out.” He moved quickly to throw a punch at her and watched her immediately react with a block and then a takedown hold to the floor. For an old man he was spry and strong. He had jumped up quickly and laughed. “Very good.”

He walked to the doors and looked at what had remained. He chuckled. “You know you are there have been many that came through this monastery and everyone always went for the showy fancy weapons but not you two, you both choose wisely. By your choices I can see you are both very good fighters, now as for that dress you were wearing earlier my dear that will never do in this land of the unforgiving and the living dead. You can keep the gnomish armor and I will give you a change of clothing in black leather it should suit you and your figure nicely.” He chuckled and winked at Cody.

“Follow me, I will show you to a room where we keep clothing for travelers. Most of the clothing we have was unfortunately taken from those that came here with lofty ideas and high ideas that they could conquer the Lord of this Land and they were proven wrong, so they never had a chance to enjoy the clothing that we now give to those that need it. Yes, yes, I am telling you they were taken from dead bodies of those that were too over confident. Something I am sure neither of you two will be on your quest.” He led them down wide hollow hallways that echoed with their footfalls. To an arched larger room, was filled with clothing. All types and sizes, “Do take what you will and what you think you will need. There are bags of holding in the corner so you should be able to take as much as you wish without filling up or weighting your load.” He saw their look of curiosity and he smiled, walking to the bags that laid on the floor he lifted it and started filling one except it never seemed to fill. “This is a bag of holding.”

M’lar looked with an excitement to Cody and nodded. “I wish we had that back home make traveling a lot easier. “ Cody chuckled and went to the bag of holding, he meticulously began to pick out various and comfortable looking pieces of clothing. He found the black leather pants and jacket the old man had said M’lar should wear. Then finally item that the old man brought in and handed to Juliana was a priestly vestments. Juliana looked at it and giggled. “That would make me look like an over endowed belly dancer bellhop.”

The old man chuckled softly, “In deed it would but that is the high holy garments of a Priest or Priestess of Oghma. On you it will look splendid but you only need to take it if you wish to hold your holy powers close and I can tell you, you will need it. Now.” He took her fingertips and dipped the tips in ink she looked at him curiously. “The ink is the holy sign of Oghma my dear, you can do a lot of damage now with those ink tipped fingertips.” She could feel the power of her fingertips and nodded slowly. Handing her the bag he had filled he turned to look at Cody.

The old man took in his choice for the road, which were knee high black leather boots, black pants, dark green poet shirt, a high collared jacket, black gloves with leather bracers and a large black cloak. Gracing his broad shoulders flowing down around his high-top boots he wore a cloak that nearly covered his body. The old man nodded, “Good you look the part you will play a Ranger on the run, and you my dear must not let those of power know you are a priestess, if they discover that you are a priestess, you will be arrested and brought before the tribunal of Lord Strahd. He will have you put to death or worse make you one of his undead brides.” He shot a look at Cody. “You are now her official guide and guardian you take very good care of her, she will need to help the wizened one to get you home.”

Cody turned to Juliana and looked at her and she seemed different, she was if it was possibly more fare and lovely than when he saw her in the garden. He could not allow that to distract him now his mind had to remain focus and he looked away. “She will be mine to protect and to keep safe old one. That I promise!” He stepped to her side and took her hand entwining them together. Lifting her closed fisted hand he light feathered kisses over each knuckle. “I give you my pledge now. That I will give my life to protect you.” The old man nodded, he recalled on the island of New Damara there was a large elf that had protected M’lar there and now this one had her protector it was right because the elf was also a ranger.

“Good, and you heal and protect him, do you understand there are a lot of dangers and if he dies, and you bring him back, you should be fine, but if you ever come across an elf and they are few and far between here, and you resurrect them it will cost of some of your life you will age my dear by 3 years each time you do this.” M’lar nodded slowly. “However, if you wait a week you can then do regeneration on yourself and get your life back and make yourself younger if you need to.do such a thing.” M’lar was excited at the prospect to have such power.

The old man saw the excitement of the new powers that she had received and was worried that she might abuse them. He liked the M’lar in New Damara because she was smart, he would have to trust she was just as smart as she was and would not abuse or do something stupid of acting on her gifts in front of the wrong people. Clearing his throat he motioned them to follow him. He spoke in that rasping voice as he led them down the hallway. "I have mounts for you two, I hope you both are capable of riding horses?” He saw them nod, and he now felt like their father sending them on one of the most dangerous missions of their and his life. His life depended on them bringing the wizen back so that Rancor could send them back. “I have asked the brothers to put together some supplies. You will take them in your bag of holding. I will expect that you will leave early tomorrow morning."

From overhead they could hear the heavy tones of the bells. “You will excuse me, but I need to go to vespers. It is the time for the mid-day prayers.” One last time with his milky white eyes that seemed sightless but allowed him to move freely about the building he took M’lar into his arms and spoke softly. “Go with the love and devotion of Oghma and Denier. I will pray they may hear your prayers to grant your spells. In case they do not here.” He took from his neck an amulet of the symbol of a quill and a scroll. “With this magically induced amulet they will hear your prayers.” He smiled kissed her forehead and turned to Cody. Cody was surprised by the strength he showed in his handshake. “Go to your rooms rest and when you leave in the morning go with my blessings.” He studied them through those sightless eyes and smiled. “I think you two have a lot to think about." Turning the old man began to walk slowly down the hallway.

“Wait, I wish to come and pray with you.” He turned and smiled.

“As much as I want you there, you need to go rest. Go to your room child.” He turned to Cody, “You should meditate in the garden son.” He nodded to Cody and turned to point to a side door. Cody went to the garden, standing straight he closed his eyes and with one fluid movement he withdrew his sword and began to work with the sword, arching it slashing with it thrusting and reseated the weapon in its sheath, one by one he used his footwork and his knowledge of using that particular weapon with fluidity and swift moves. As he began to tire and knew he needed to mediate he went into seated in Indian fashion closing his eyes and trying to clear his mind.

Try as he might he could not stop thinking about another garden in another place and another time where he had experienced the passion he had long sought and wished he had not let slip through his fingers. How his body had reacted to her body and she had responded to his lovemaking. He could not question how it was that he was thrown back mentally into his body by twenty years. How when he first met her he had a crush on her all those years ago.

He smiled and felt the irony of this situation. However, that had been the old Paul. He was further amazed that even now this day he still cared about her. How was it possible that his mind could go back into his younger self and why did it happen? How was it possible that someone was able to mentally transcend time and space with his mind and put him where he should have been 20 years ago? When his life had been simpler and he had been painfully shy. So shy the best opportunity that had crossed his path had gotten away.

He thought about his life to this point and the strange thing was he could still remember his father dying. By some miracle he had just seen him last night alive back in Tennessee. He remembered his younger brother and the hell his ex-wife put him through. Could last night had been a major turning point in his life and for Juliana too? Could .a force unseen made her friend break her arm? But he stopped that from happening last night. So, they could have their first dance, their first kiss, and then here was the first time . . .

"Cody!!!" His eyes snapped open, he sprung up into a fighting stance and ready to defend, when he realized it was M’lar calling him and she stood looking too damn sexy in that black leather pair of pants and skin tight top that outlined every curve of her body accenting her breasts and she had pulled that long fall of reddish brown hair up on top of her head so it hung down her back and over her shoulder in a cascade of satin shine that draped her like a cape. Blinking he noticed that it was M’lar that had called him and she held a bucket with some cool water. "It looked like you needed some water. I’ve been calling your name for 5 minutes. Don’t you want to use the name Cody?"  
He looked at her and smiled watching her stand there with a bucket hugged to her breasts and looking to sexy for her own good. God she was more beautiful here than he had remembered. Apologetically, he spoke softly, "Sorry I was meditation. I guess I was thinking about the future, past and now."

He saw her smile and it the bucket down and walk in that way she had where she looked like she was seducing him with the move of her hips and the slinky way her feet seemed to glide her forward to him. At that moment all he could think of was what she looked like lying naked under him and writing in the pleasure he was giving her with each movement he made. He blinked and gulped "Care to talk about it?" She stooped to pick up the bucket, had he just imagined that she had walked towards him in a seductive manner? He blinked and watched her approach him. Reaching forward he took the bucket from her hands

His words were calculated and spoken softly with the intent of not letting her know where his mind had been. He smiled and said softly, "Not at this time. Milady. Maybe someday, soon we will talk. I just need some time, some time to work what I can out in my head first." He bent and kissed her lips lightly to reassure her that he would talk to her when the time was right. For M’lar she was surprised and curious that he seemed so disassociated and distant but when he kissed her lightly on the lips she had been reassured he was just as worried as she with their given situation.

In a rush of hot breath after the kiss she smiled and put her fingertips to his lips and spoke huskily, "I do not know what is happening to you. I do know this you have changed a lot since last night before we dance and when I first met you. You are more mature. More experienced than the boy I met yesterday.” She stepped away from him and he could not keep his hands off her body, that soft delectable body that called to his touch and his needs. “It all changed at the dance.” She turned and smiled. “I will understand if you don’t want to talk about it now. I understand the need to try and internalize what is going on. God knows I have done it enough myself.

He wanted to pour the bucket of water over his heated body, but instead he had set it down and walked to her and took her in his arms drawing her into his arms he spoke against the top of her head his lips pressed against her hair. "I know but I cannot explain it right now. When I work it out you will be the first one to know." He tipped her chin up and kissed her deeply, and he knew she was responsive because she drew her arms around his neck and locked her fingers together behind his neck her back arched and kissing him with as much passion as he was kissing her.

She broke the kiss and smiled, “I trust you, but something tells me that are lying to me." He saw the sparkle of excitement in her eyes and felt her press into him. She spoke softly, you see, once you figure it out it will be you first and I will be the second one to know." Then she stole a kiss from him. "Let’s get a something to eat and talk to the old priest. Then I need my boy toy to keep me warm tonight." She said with a slight grin and a sparkle promise in her eyes that she was not through with him and he knew he was not through with her.

That night they lay naked and caught up in the passion of each other, as they found new heights of passion to explore and found that both of them could not get enough of each other, the way she wiggled against his sex and he wanted to drive his sex deep within her body. They fondled, held, licked and sucked on each other until she was screaming out his name in a hoarse voice for release. Cody was saying her name over and over and they had found themselves nearly depleted and exhausted by the wee hours of the morning.

The next morning, which for these two was a bare three hours of sleep were up and showed and dressed. M’lar and Cody met the old priest at the main doors of the Monastery. Opening the doors to the courtyard there they found two mounts saddled with provisions rolled on the back of each horse in the bag of holding. M’lar turned and hugged the old priest. “Blessings of Oghma and Denier on you my old friend.” She kissed his cheek and he smiled and touched her face.

“Such a beauty. Take care child.” He turned to Cody and held out his hand. “And you?”  
Cody smiled, "Thank you for your help sir."

The old man said, "Keep her safe Paul." He had used his mundane name and smiled breaking the hold of the handshake.

"I will sir." He reassured the old priest as he mounted his horse. He looked over to see that M’lar had already mounted her horse and was sitting like a professional in the saddle. Both turned to look at the old priest and he smiled that near yellowed toothless grin and spoke softly.

"Those are words that are easier said than done in this land. Before you leave there is something I want you to know. Because I know your real names here, it is only fair that you know my true name and I do not want you to judge me by history, but by my good deeds. You see Strahd had me brought here years ago, because we were as one together. He brought me from my home land of Transylvania. Now know in your time as Wallachia. There I was known as Vlad."

M’lar paled visibly and Cody stunned looked down at the old man. . "Yes I am he that you think I am. I was the past. I have a feeling your two are the future of this land. Now go you are losing the daylight. Until we meet again in this life or the next." He motioned and the front gates were opened. Juliana turned her horse and kicked his side sending him into a trot out into the heavy mists that daylight pierced in spots.

 

One Hour from the Monastery

"Do you think the lord of this land is a vampire like the old man said?"

"I do not know. All I know is I want to get you home. Then I hope we can build something long lasting." His words had been said as if he had given it a great deal of thought.

"That is something I would like to try." She said then corrected herself blushing a little. "What I meant was to try to have something but I would like to go home." Her voice had caught a little with her emotions.

Cody saw this and spoke wryly with a hint of a tease to his tone. "And I thought I was one who easy to blush because you were teasing me."

That was enough to break the ice and they could try to discuss and find a common ground to talk to one another. Riding leisurely along the roadway they chatted about various things in their lives making comparisons to how their families were not really that different. It was easier for Juliana to relax and speak of her life for Cody it was a little more difficult he had to try and keep his conversation to the time frame she knew him. It was a leap for him to try and talk about his life at the age of twenty three as opposed to the forty-three year old Cody. He sensed that he was not the only one holding back he would look at her in moments of silence and could see M’lar was holding back too.

His summation was right, M’lar was holding back she did not want to bring out the demons in her life that had brought her to this point. She had so much baggage and she wanted it gone. This was not going to be another failed marriage or a job that was so cruel that it got her brutally ganged raped one night while working under cover. This was her new start and now she was in the presence of one of the most pure men she had ever met in her life. No, she did not want him to know about her demons of her past.

They had been riding for an hours when they noticed that the area around them was more populated and there were signs that they would soon be near a town. The feeling of tension and unease was in the horses and now it was transmitted to the two riders. Cody gaze searched from side to side scanning for danger. He noticed that M’lar was tense and she was drawing on some kind of training.

For M’lar it was her training as a police officer, it was kicking into high gear and she whispered softly "I wish I had my .357"

Cody was impressed, she wanted a kick ass gun and he wished he had his big gun too and said softly, "I wish had an AA-12 with a couple of drums." Replied Cody. Which impressed M’lar that he knew about AA-12.

Kicking her horse into a trot she called over to him, “We better find the inn and bed down until morning, Cody. We need to rest the horses and feed them and get them some water.” He saw her taking off and he was going to cover the rear so he called back. “Sounds like a plan so yes, you take the lead and I will follow."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co-authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 4

Somewhere in a land time forgot

They rode their horses to the lean-too next to the Inn, dismounting, M’lar studied Cody to see if he was going to be saddle sore. She smiled watching him stretch his long legs and back and knew at least he was slightly seasoned. She was grateful to her sissy for making her go on those long trail rides on the weekend. She loved her horse and she wanted to get back home and into a routine of her life once again. M’lar fell into step next to Cody and they walked to the Inn, Cody had the money so she stood and leaned against a post to look around at the dark and lowly lit common room. It held the typical smells of cooking food, wood burning in the fireplace. There was he occasional loud belch or fart from the patrons and she wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes and with a subtle move of her fingers, she would cantrip the air clean.

The Inn keeping had weighed them up as well to do and was trying to overcharge Cody for the room. M’lar stepped forward leaned over the counter so the Inn keeper could see her cleavage and spoke softly, “You know and I know that room should be no less than six coppers for the night, so why are you trying to overcharge him by four coppers to charge a silver? If you don’t lower your price, then I shall make your life a living hell other than what the lord of this land could do got it buck-O?’ The keep saw the steely eyed glint in her eye and then she said, “And if you treat us right and not over charge I will have my friend here not bust up the place and we will leave you a nice tip.” He had glanced down at her hands and saw her fingertips were marked with ink and then he realized what she was and what she could do and he held up two hands and smiled more to placate than in humor.

“It will be my pleasure to house you two for six coppers, thank you for your patronage.” Cody had been distracted by a conversation of a couple of men in the room. He would talk to M’lar about that later. Turning he heard the tender say, “Six coppers.” He smiled and pleased because he knew M’lar had procured them a reasonable and cheap room meaning the room on the top floor.

He also was assured that their horses would be taken care of properly. Walking up the rickety stairs to the top floor, “I don’t know about you. But I need a bath and a chance to clean our armor, so why don’t you go take your bath first.” Juliana smiled and slipped her jacket off and turn draping it over the chair by the door. She felt his hands on her shoulders.

His voice was silky smooth and he whispered softly, “You know we could conserve water here, you could join me for a bath.” She giggled like a little girl. He lifted her up and carried her down the hallway, placing her on her feet, he turned to see this Inn had adopted the same way of providing water without having to carry it up, they had a huge drum on the room that would be sun warmed and you could pull a chain and the water would flow into the large tub. He pulled his boots off and then his jerkin shirt, turning he was surprised she was already naked and stepping into the tub to wait for him to join her.

“You must want this bath badly enough to beat me getting undressed?” He liked how her hair fell over her shoulders and past her hips to brush against the top of her rounded firm butt. He also noted she waited for him to get in. He was aroused looking at her and he stepped into the tub and slid down. She waited for him to get settled.

Stepping on either side of him, she slowly lowered her body over his and straddled him her knees folded and pressed next to his hips, “I figured we could sleep after supper and have a little fun now.” She laughed and it was a passion filled husky laugh as he leaned forward to kiss him deeply, She felt his sex flick against her wet belly and she broke the kiss. She positioned herself on his manhood and slid it into her hot moistness. And began to buck her hips forward riding him. He watched her arch her back bringing her breasts up so he could cup and kiss the nipples that were erect with her own need and anticipation of her impending release. Cody grabbed her hips and locked her tight against his sex driving it deep inside her and together they rode until they both were sated with their needs for release. At least now they could relax enjoy a meal and then sleep soundly. She had once again found the perfect release for them both for being saddled bound most the day. As she came he came with her and they held onto each other as both their bodies quivered together. He kissed her deeply and she danced her tongue with his tongue and they explored the warmth of each other’s mouths.

Holding onto him, she reached for the soap and began to soap his body and he soaped her body. Together the two washed each other until they were nice and clean and ready to go to dinner downstairs, M’lar had cantriped their clothing clean but tonight in this Inn called for less restrictive clothing and a need to feel comfortable. Cody had opted for a poet’s shirt and his leather pants with knee top boots. M’lar had found the empire waist dress with long flowing sleeves that accented her breasts and her tiny figure. She had pulled her hair up again on top of her head so it hung in a thick ponytail down her back. Cody preferred it down and over her should but knew this was convenient for her and it looked good on her. It accented her tiny features and opened up those incredible storm tossed colored eyes.

Going down to eat, M’lar ordered the bowl of beef stock stew and Cody asked for the Roasted Quail dinner. Each received an over done hunk of break with churned butter. Cody opted for a pint of their home brew while M’lar opted for a glass of water and then regretted her choice and sipped occasionally from Cody’s mug to his amusement. The room was slowly filling up and the conversation that was buzzing around the room, Cody saw the same three men he had seen earlier who he had thought were well to do Merchants. They were discussing their fears and anxiety of leaving this town and were worried they would not meet their contract to deliver their goods to the next town due in three days travel. Cody leaned over the table to capture Juliana’s gaze, which had been mostly settled on her stew. “M’lar, see those three men over there?” he nodded his head to the three well-dressed men huddled together in the corner table.

Juliana slide her glance over to the table he indicated and she nodded. “Yep, what about them?” She took a big bite of the beef stew and chewed thoughtfully watching them.

“They are merchants and they are afraid of traveling to the next town. Said something about raids and bandits had killed off some of their friends. I am wondering if we can get work and hire ourselves out to be their guards they would pay us, feed us and take care of our horses if we traveled with them.” He watched her swallow, reach for his mug sip lightly, and then wipe her mouth with the napkin.

“So you to negotiate with them? I won’t say the words as pretty as you I suppose and in this time apparently a woman is nothing more than a sex toy and the men are the brains.” She sounded sarcastic. He chuckled hearing the aggravation at what she must have thought were barbaric thoughts. “You know if I go over there, I will get mad and punch someone in the mouth.” He knew she was right she was not a typical female from this time or era if what he had witnessed so far she was superior in thought and application of her art and abilities.

“Stay here, I will be right back.” She watched him get up and walk across the room bow to the men and then with his charming smile and his easily letting his cape slide back to show his sell sword he appeared to be everything he apparently was telling the men he was, he nodded a couple of times to M’lar while she sat and finished her meal and did notice two of the men had kept looking back at her and it did not take a house to fall on you to realize what they were thinking while they listened to Cody and looked at her. He shook all their hands nodded to them and walked back to the table and sat, “We will leave out at first light. They hired us under my terms and they will pay us when we safely reach the next town and they can unload their cargo.”

M’lar wiped her mouth with the napkin, and stood, “I think time we go to bed this was just one days ride to this town in a saddle, I can assure you my dear friend three days of rail riding if you are not used to it will give you blood in the saddle, from the blisters, so be sure to pad your groin area.” She stepped past him and felt him put his palm on the small of her back and her elbow once they arrived at the stairs, she also knew there was two pairs of eyes on her while she navigated the stairs up to their room. Arriving at their room, they lock up the room and took off their clothing, Cody opted to leave on his poet shirt and nothing else while M’lar found a light night shift and slipped it over her perfect form. Flopping into bed M’lar rolled into Cody’s arms, she knew she had left her staff at the head of her pillow easily to grab in case they needed them. He had laid his sell sword on the floor next to him. The day had taken its toll and they fell asleep and slept in each other arms.

From the depths of the heavy sleep, which for both of them was considered in the middle of the night Cody was the first to awaken, when he moved his arm and sat up, it woke up M’lar who sat up quickly becoming aware that the sound outside their room was a high piercing screams from outside. Cody reached for his sword, and knife belt and Juliana stretched backwards to grab her staff. Shifting to the window, they opened the shutter and what met their gaze would normally have frozen them with unbelievable fright and fear. Pushing aside the shock, Cody reacted first.

Turning to look into each other’s face, they turned and looked back and together they spoke in disbelief. "ZOMBIES!" Together they slammed and shuttered the window. Instinct was spurring them both to protect and preserve. Turning to the bed, Cody went to the left and M’lar went to the right and they shoved the bed up against the door. Dressing quickly, Cody handed his shield to M’lar he was searching his gear and M’lar looked at him. “What are you looking for?”

He turned exasperated and looked at her with frustration. “My damn glasses.” She sighed rolled her eyes and then reached over and placed her fingertips on his eyes and began to chant softly, “Restore perfect vision.” Paul was shocked. She just fixed his eyes he had better vision than he had before.  
“How the hell did you do that?” He handed her his shield bent and kissed her and then said, “Don’t answer that now, and just watch my back.” He gave her another quick kiss. Looked into her curiously concerned eyes. He knew it was probably impossible to expect but he had to say it, "Stay here and watch my back."

Opening the window, Cody with bow in hand shimmied his body up on the thatched rooftop and watched M’lar hand up his quiver of regular arrows. M’lar narrowed her eyes looked for a fire pit and once again she began to chant, “Summon fireballs.” She slowed her breathing and began to wait for the spell to form in her hand. On the roof, Cody took aim and began to fill the horror below by aiming for an attaining headshots, this was giving villagers in the fight of their life a chance.

Cody conserved and aimed for the purpose of making every shot count. From his vantage he was able to give forth some hard-core cover. With his last arrow, Cody threw his bow back to the window. M’lar caught it and deflected it to the bed. Her fireballs appeared in her palms and she hurled them towards the mass group of mindless moving Zombies that were advancing on the hapless Villagers. M’lar watched Cody shimmy down the drain pipe and land on the ground. The moment his feet hit the ground, he heard her call out. “What the hell do you think you are doing? Surely you are not that damn dumb?”

She watched him for a few more moments as like a damn fool he pulled out his boot knives and stood in the praying mantis stance, she muttered softly, “If you get me killed I swear I will come back and haunt you for the rest of your natural life.” Turning on the balls of her feet, she dropped her fireball spell and rushed to the door, pushing the bed back she did not let dust collect on her feet as she gave flight running down the hallway and chanting softly, “Summon flame blade!” Hitting the stairs she took them two at a time down and then crashed out of the door pushing the keep aside with remarkable strength, which at that moment he was glad he had not challenged her earlier.

Charging into the street near Cody, M’lar watched as a flaming blade appeared in her right hand, with one fell swoop she swung on the nearest Zombie. With a called shot and aim for the creatures head, she sent it up and flying, Cody backed up against her and every time a shambling nasty smelling zombie came towards him he arched his hand and slammed the blade with one hand into one of the zombies head to twist and smash his blade into the partner to the first zombie, at this point he was building up a pile of undead now lying lifeless in the middle of the street. He had not even realized that M’lar had summoned her holy blade and with the touch of the flame to the creature it disintegrated.

Just as it seemed the hoard which was growing expeditiously by the minute was about to press upon them. M’lar whispered, “Foolish man, we are about to die, I don’t know about you but I think we are outnumbered.”

Paul closed his eyes and knew he was not about to give up they would have to overrun him. When just as suddenly they were surrounded and about to be ate, the swarm of zombies ceased to attack, appeared to have lost interest in the two that were their focus and turned, shambling out of town to some invisible call of another for their attention. Cody and M’lar stood back to back watching the zombies turn and walk away from the town. This was not typical of what they knew of zombies and their actions. So they both scanned the area searching the trees and the houses, rooftops and the ground area.

That is when they turned and both stared into the darkening shadows of the outer perimeter and thought they saw a pair of eyes. They were small and flitted in and out of their field of vision. “Bat?” M’lar whispered to Cody, he watched and followed the movement that shifted from the tree’s shadows to the roofline. Then it disappeared down the road towards the darkest point that marked the end of the limits to the town proper.

Cody whispered back, “It looks like its flying. Whatever it is it’s leaving the area.” Sheathing his knives, Cody turned, “Come on lets go back to bed.”

M’lar jerked his arm spun him around and slapped him across his face, now that the danger was over she was mad. Eyes flashing, cheeks high with color she hissed out. After Cody sheathed his knives. "What the hell do you think you were doing earlier? Do you not realize that you could have been killed or turned into one of those nasty creatures if you had gotten bitten? I don’t need a hero, I need you and you had better consider that I put my ass on the line to come out here and fight with you. High cover was perfect until you tried to play superman! We were damned near over run! Did you even give that a moment’s thought before you jumped dick first into this fight. I need you to think with your mind and not that toy you let me have between your legs!” She was pissed and he had never seen her so angry as she was there and then she did the most incredible thing, She grabbed him and kissed him hard on the lips and then pushed him away and walked away, “I don’t give a shit about most people but you I do! I could have lost you.” Then she took off and ran back into the building to hide her sobs from him.

Cody rubbed his face and watched her run from him and shook his head. “Women, sometimes I wonder if all they think about is sex and sex.” He mumbled following behind her and thinking about what she had just said. When he caught up to her she would not face him and he felt like crap but he had to defend his actions. "I was trying to make sure you was safe and you run out here too. What are you thinking?" He turned her around to face him and saw she had been crying. Pulling her close he stroked her hair and sighed. “I guess I just thought you would stay put and let me take care of you.” She wiggled away and took a deep cleansing breath. “Then quit thinking for me. I am not about to let you have all the fun.” She looked up at him and smiled then she ran her arm around his waist and let him walk them both back to their room with either saying another word. They both walked back to their room without saying a word.

Cody secured their door and went to the window to make sure it was secured too. Turning he was hit head on by M’lar who had run to him threw her arms around him and spoke passionately to him, "Please do not do anything stupid like that again. I am a partner to you now, you are my partner and I am yours. Besides,” She muttered softly into his chest. “It has been a long time since I gave a shit about anyone and I find that I am growing feelings for you, I don’t want you to get hurt. You scared me doing that dumbass stunt earlier. What do you expect me to stand back and watch you get hurt or worse yet die? I can’t do that Cody, I just can’t do it.”

When she had launched herself into his body, he had thrown up his arms, he felt the passion of her speech in the tremble of her body against his. Slowly, Cody put his arms around her. "I know the feeling I did not think I would care about someone too after I got free from my ex-wife. She really soured me on love and on the opposite sex."

“Ex-wife?” M’lar was speaking into his chest. She thought he might have been like her, when she got married at eighteen and was divorced three years later so he was coming off a bad marriage she could relate. However, she thought she had been told he had never been married before.  
“Then I guess we share a common ground with one another and I guess we are about to relax our issues and drop the baggage of bad karma. It was that when we first met, you had said you had never been married. “She felt his hold on her tighten and then he took a big deep breath and let it out.

Now was not a good time to explain to her he had traveled mentally back in time, hell he could not understand how it happened how could he possibly explain it to her, with her logical thinking he had learned more about her in these few short hours than he had thought over the past twenty years just briefly connecting back and forth with her, he had let that time slip through his fingers she was alone available and so exciting to his young inexperience mind. He had instantly crushed on her and was too shy to ask or get close to her, she was so bubbly and bouncy and made everyone around her laugh with her wit and her sauciness. The next year after he had met her she had come back and this time she was with another guy who eventually would become her husband. He had lost out due to being shy.

Now knowing the future; her future and his, which was short. He needed time to figure this out and once he could reason it to his own mind rationally, he would be able to explain it to her. He pushed her back and smiled, “I guess it was such a bad experience I just wanted to pretend it never happened, come on we have an early call in the morning at most we will get about three hours sleep.” He guided her to the bed, helped her lay down and took up his spot feeling her roll over and snuggle against his body she was soon asleep. Leaning over he blew out the candle and closed his eyes.

He just like she could not get the thought of the red eyes that moved like a bat around the town. Both of them felt the unease of the night, Cody was the first to sit up and his gaze went to the window, there perched looking at them in the room in each other’s arms were those same red eyes. Feeling him sit up, M’lar sat up and looked towards the window, she caught the image briefly of what might be a peeping Tom. Cody cupped her chin to pull her gaze away, he studied the image and then it was gone.

“It’s gone come on let’s go to sleep.” He cuddled her close laying back on the bed. Both laid there and then it dawned on them Their peeping Tom was a vampire, they were in a land where such things were common enough the villagers had locked up their houses after the sun set and did not venture out. From what Juliana had read vampires could control zombies. In her mind’s eye she saw that it had a human-like features with pointed ears and sharp boney face with sunken eyes that glowed red. For Cody he saw that it had the same features but he was in a better position to get a good look and it wore some kind of cape that gave the appearance of leathery bat-like wings. Around its neck it word a red stone that hung from a durable red and blue ribbon. When it had caught their gaze it almost appeared it had been hours that they had studied one another. Before the connection was broke by the being shifting away and turning into what was like a bat and flew away.

Cody kissed her forehead and spoke softly confirming what they both knew. "Well I think we just saw our first vampire, M’lar” Holding her close he felt her shiver in his hold.

“What have we gotten ourselves into Cody? How is this possible?” He kissed her forehead and hen her nose.

“Go to sleep, we will worry about this tomorrow we have a job to do remember?” She sighed deeply closed her eyes and relaxed in his hold. Before long they both were sound asleep.

High in the Mountains Castle Strahd

The death hunter winged his way to the castle where the dark foreboding figure stood looking out over his domain. “Well?” He spoke without turning waiting for the report. He had sent them out to the four corners of his land and now the second to come back was behind him.  
“It looks like her my Lord Strahd, she travels with a human ranger. They fight together, they sleep together. . . “ Before he could speak another word Strahd had turned with his razor sharped nails and cleaved his head from his body. It flew up in a spray of blood towards the ceiling and then down to the floor to bounce and pop open like an over ripe pumpkin. With no emotion he sighed and turned to look out the window.

“Then he dies and she becomes mine.”


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Inn day after Zombie Fight

Cody woke with the first light of dawn. He had not slept well and he knew she had not slept well either, there was something that had bothered most the night and he was sue he had heard her call out once, “No more, please no more. I want to live, don’t, please don’t . . . .” Then she had grown quiet. The thrashing she had done at one point indicated to him she had been involved in some kid of altercation. Her body was covered in sweat and she thrashed some more until he gathered her into his arms and gently kissed her forehead and spoke softly to her.

“Shhh, you are fine. Shhh I am here it’s all right.” He covered her with his blanket and body and held her until she calmed again. Once she fell asleep he slept lightly. In his dreams he could imagine why she had nightmares like this. It had to be something no woman should have to face. It was easy to see that she was struggling with something inside and was afraid of letting it go, but that was her secret and he would be patient and wait for her to tell him what would happen.

When the sun broke through the dirty windowpanes and bathed them in their natural light, he shook her awake, “M’lar wake up. We got to get on the road. We want to make half the distance to the next town by nightfall.” She set up and yawned pushed her hair out of her face, and cantriped her mouth clean and her body, then looked at him and cantriped him clean. Rising she went to her bag of holding and found her black leather armor jacket and pants, she slid her staff into the holder seating it, She watched Cody, drag on his leathers and boots then stood. “I am going down to gather what arrows were not broken I will meet you in the common room, the merchants are already out by their wagons. It looks like they hired some more guards other than us. So I will go make myself known to them, you can get us something to eat on the trail, I will have the horses saddled.”

She watched him go out the door and sighed, grabbing her bag of holding she carried it to the door checked the room one more time to make sure nothing was left behind and she only allowed herself a moment of pleasure remembering waking in his arms. Hitching the bag of holding over her shoulder she walked down the rickety steps. Walking to the kitchen, M’lar gathered some easy to eat food to wrap into a napkin threw some coins on the counter and walked out into the morning sunshine. Cody was busy securing the tie downs on the one wagon, three new males she had not seen were hugging close to each other and they nodded were talking and watching M’lar walk to her horse and mount up.  
Cocking her head she could hear some of the comments being made.

“Boy look at that ass. Nice and tight, the new guy must be getting some of that.”

“Is she his wife?”

“Don’t see no ring on either of them.”

“Is she what they call a Priestess?”

“I saw her summon a flaming blade from the air last night while they fought the zombies.”

“What are you talking about, I must have slept through that.”

 

Road between

Cody called out. “Let’s roll!”

M’lar guided her horse next to Cody and she watched the road and the side and now she felt she had to watch her back around the three new guards that bore more of a resemblance to highway men than guards for this cargo. “How far to this Village?” She asked and glanced at Cody. He watched the area too and his body sat tense in the saddle, which would not bode well for him later he would be stiff and sore. “You better relax you will be sore by nightfall.”

Cody sighed and looked around and then relaxed and let his butt melt down into his saddle. “You better watch those three back there, I don’t trust them, and I don’t like how they were eyeing you earlier and I certainly did not like what they were saying about you either. So make sure you are on alert.” He watched a curtain of uncertainty drop over her eyes and she looked back at the three behind them and the two wagons.

“You did not answer my question, how far to the next village and is that were we look for a new group to escort until we get closer to the mountains?” She had suddenly gone cold and impersonal and this alerted him to her shutting down to him too.

“Two days ride and we need to keep close quarters because we are in a bad area according to the merchants. There have been several of their friends attacked and some killed in this area we will be in tonight, so stick close to the wagons. And don’t do that.” He said as an afterthought.

She shot him a look, “Don’t do what? What the hell are you talking about?” She shifted in her saddled and again relaxed into the saddle, which the horse appreciated, she was not going to be rough with his reins or his bit and allow him to plod along.

“Don’t lock me out, I thought we had gotten close enough to not be distant with one another.” He spoke softly when one of the three new guards whose name was Mav, rode up to them. M’lar glanced at him briefly, he was about Cody’s height, with dark hair that he wore tide in a ponytail at the base of his neck. He had not gotten close to a razor or a bathtub in days and she wrinkled her nose.

“Cody,” He nodded to M’lar and spoke with a leer to his gaze, “Ma’am, we were wondering what the guard schedule will be when we make our first nightfall stop? Tanner wants first shift and I would like the next four hours and Conrad wants to spell Tanner and end with me and then we could trade off with the lady and then you.” M’lar did not like how this was being set up, it meant they were trying to take control but she said nothing she just kept her eyes forward.

Cody smiled, “Nice try Mav, but we will draw straws on it when we bed down for the night, and I can tell you right now, M’lar and I will cover eight hours and you guys can cover four hours a piece with us, We will be moving out at first light so we can make good time past that bad spot Mr. Meecham was warning us about, so tell the boys we will discuss it at nightfall. Got it?”

Mav shot a dirty look towards Cody, licked his lips looking at M’lar and turned his horses and rode back and the three behind them began to sing bawdy rude songs. Cody rolled his eyes, “You got a cantrip for silence on them?” M’lar chuckled,

“I could cantrip them clean that would be a first for the three of them. I don’t think any of them has bathed in a week easily, as for silence, I could power word silence on them I suppose.” She thought about this and smiled turned and looked at the three really getting loud and spoke softly, “Power word silence.” She watched them react to her spell, they suddenly found they had no noise coming from their mouths and they glared at her and she winked turned her back and kicked her horse to ride ahead to the other wagon coming up next to Mr. Basham she smiled. “We will make nightfall and if you want I can cook us something over the camp fire tonight.”

Basham was a portly man who had made a lot of money hauling his pots and pans and goods in bolts of material between three villages. He had a family but when the Lord of the Land had turned the land against the evil had spread out around the castle where he had lived with his family and his wife and son fell ill and died soon afterwards. Knowing if he did not flee and get as far away from that castle he very well could be next to die, so he had loaded up all the goods he cold into two wagons and left under cover of all things daylight. He had driven those wagons and his three helpers for four days until the air lightened and they could feel secure.

 

Basham’s past memories

He studied the lovely dark haired woman next to him and in profile she reminded him of the beauty that had thrown herself from the ledge of castle that belonged to Strahd Von Zarovich. Except that poor child whose name was Tatyana had fallen in love with and married Sergei, the younger handsome brother of Strahd. Poor Sergei, he recalled his only fault was being younger and better looking than Strahd. It was a brutal murder that was committed that night. The very night of his and Tatyana’s wedding Strahd had killed him and the guests that had come for the wedding.

Rumors ran rampant that night and stories that were told and retold were outlandish to possibly true. Those that survived the night by escaping had run from the room and knew that Strahd was in pursuit of the beautiful bride. That he had chased her through the castle and cornered on the castles battlements where she had climbs and threw herself from the ledge. Barovia had never been the same since that night and Strahd’s evil had over taken the land and poisoned the very ground they walked on. The only ones that could travel the mists were the gypsies of Barovia they had made a pact with the evil Lord and thus protected by him.

He realized she was waiting for a response and he apologized, “That would be lovely, I am sure we should be camp near the Nharov River by nightfall. It would be a good spot and we will be close to the Tepurch Forests. That would put us halfway to Teufeldorf and once we get there I know we will be safe.” He looked to the front of the wagon and the road and noted that it was getting mid-day and wondered if they would stop to give the horses a break and some food and water. “Will we be stopping to allow the horses to drink and eat?” M’lar smiled and turned to look over her shoulder and Cody seeing her look kicked his horse to trot up to her.

“What is going on?” M’lar looked up at the sky and noted the sun was almost overhead.

“We need to rest the horses and let them have some water and food and then we can get on the road again and make it to the Nharov River.” She smiled noting he was impressed that she was learning the surroundings.

Basham reached behind him and pulled his own leather pouch out and reached inside pulling out a rolled scroll. “Here Cody. This is a map of the area and should help you with navigating this land. I have outlined the areas that are under Strahd Von Zarovich’s control. You do not want to run into him or his death hounds, they are undead and they will surely take M’lar and she will be put on trial and killed for being a priestess especially a gifted and powerful one like here, if she had command over power words that would be a threat to Strahd.”

Cody had to ask, “Why?” Basham clicked his tongue to hurry his lead horse a little fast pace, he was not sure he wanted to answer him or tell him that the woman traveling with them was a near double in features of the only woman that Strahd had ever loved.

“Because he is undead, he drinks the blood of his victims and he is insane.” He sighed and looked at M’lar then back to Cody. “She looks like his lost love the one that rejected him and married his brother.”

M’lar was the first to shift uncomfortably in her saddle and then settle. She looked at Cody and then down at the reins in her hands. “Well is that not peachy, this puts a whole twist on things huh Cody?” She was beginning to sound sarcastic and throttled down her anger that was shielding her fear over what was just said. She was not sure how she felt about this new twist to them being in this land.

Cody looked at her and noticed she was once again putting up walls and locking down her emotions. He just needed to let her mull over what she just learned, hell he needed to do the same thing, he was not sure how he felt about the Lord of this Land thinking his girl was this fantasy woman he loved. Which might explain why they thought they saw a vampire outside their widow the last evening. “Thanks Mr. Basham for the map and the information, we are according to this map.” He had glanced at the map and noted they were about five miles out from the spot they wanted to set up camp for the night. Riding back to the other wagon and Mr. Meacham he told him and the other three guards they would be reaching the Nharov River soon and that is where they would set up camp.

Riding back to sit next to M’lar he spoke softly, “I ain’t gonna let anything happen to you while we are here. You know that don’t you?” He saw her nod but she sat silent she must still be thinking about what Basham had told her. Lifting his eyes to the sun overhead and then smelling the river in the air, Cody sighed he thought he could get them past the forest and the river but he could see the horses were tiring and perhaps making camp early and by the river might give them an opportunity to rest up enough for the night to get up and make up time once they got out of the hot sun and into the forest itself, it would provide shade and the horses would not tire easily.

 

Camp Site near Nharov River

Cody had them pull the wagons in a half circle and close together, tethering the horses near the apex of the wagons, between M’lar’s expert eyes and his reasoning he had a base for a perimeter for protection from attack. Going to the three, he spoke to them setting up the rotation schedule for guard duty when the sun fell. M’lar built the fire pit and turned with a bucket and walked down through the woods to the river to get some water. She was preoccupied that she did not see Mav come up behind her and grab her around her waist and try to pull her into the bushes. The attack was sudden and the grip was tight.

What Mav did not expect was for her to use her body’s weight to throw him back and slam him into the ground to roll over him and come up with her legs in a takedown hold and choke him out. When she felt his body go slack, she got up dusted off her clothing and went to the river’s edge and collected enough water to carry back and throw on him as he laid there. He awoke with a start feeling he was drowning. She spoke softly, “DO NOT EVER THINK TO TOUCH ME AGAIN WITHOUT MY PERMISSION GOT IT!” She growled it out and loud enough that it caught Cody’s attention. He broke through the brush line to come up short and take note of what had just happened. “Next time I won’t be so nice, I will kill you without a thought.”

“What is going on?” Cody was about to go more than midlevel on this guy seeing she had taken him down still did not calm his own outrage at what he knew probably was the intent and his expectations from her once he had her down on the ground and under him. He could see by the rise and fall of her breasts that she was angry and had not released that anger. Turning from him she took the water bucket down to the river and with two words she spoke and huge eruption in the water washed up and over the ground and them. She immediately cantriped herself and then Cody and left Mav to lay in the mud and the wet as she carried her bucket of water in silence back to the camp sight.

She put together a pretty decent stew for them, and made herself a comfortable pallet by the wagon wheel and sat in silence as she ate, her mind was going back to that sting operation on four dirty cops and how they knew she was wired, how they had held her down and took turns with her and when they were done they had taken a bottle of pills and poured them down her throat, with a half bottle of whiskey. After they were done they then took her to the nearest hospital with no identification, unconscious and dumped her on the street for them to find and list her as a Jane Doe. It took her three days to come out of the drug-induced state they had forced on her. She thought she had worked through her anger but apparently in this land things become more heightened and her anger was in its purest form and she was dangerous with the powers she held.

Cody brought her a bowl of soup and some bread with cheese and sat next to her and kept his gaze looking over the area. “Want to talk about it?” He slide his arm around her shoulder and tried to pull her next to him and found she stiffened at his touch, which then confirmed to him, she had been raped at one time or another in her life and she had issues with it. He felt her force herself to relax in his hold and nibble on the bread looking at the area for signs of an attack.

“Not now, Cody, I can’t, I just can’t talk about it. It is not pretty and it’s my private hell I thought I had escaped.” She was so quiet with the uttering of those words and there was no trace of emotion in her voice. “Maybe someday when I resolve my own anger I might be able to tell you about it but not now. Not today, just let me know when it’s my turn for watch.” She took a deep tension filled breath and blew it out of her lips causing her hair to flutter.

“Okay, well get some sleep, we have the first watch at Midnight.” She finished her meal, slid down under the wagon and pulled the blanket over her body and cradled her hand on her arm. She felt him slide down next to her and cradle her against his body and she finally relaxed and fell asleep, this time to not plummet into the night mare world of that time so long ago but to see a man in a tall tower room watching her through a clear pool of water in a basin, she could hear his words and they were calling to her.

“Tatyana, soon my beloved soon you will come to me and we will be together forever no one shall ever harm you in my arms, never you will bring him, the one you call Cody. Bring me Cody and you come to me my dearest love. Come to me Tatyana.” She could see the room was filled with necromantic potions and dead corpses that he was trying to reanimate, she was filled with absolute fear of this man and she could sense he was watching her in her sleep and he smiled and when he did she saw he had two sharp teeth.

Cody sat up and looked around he noted that Tanner had fallen asleep during his watch and was just waking up. Mav sat against the tree his eyes closed so he assumed he was asleep too. The only one that was awake was Conrad but he was in the bushes relieving himself and not aware of anything other than taking his piss. He could tell they were inexperience to this kind of work, so he would not bust their chops just yet; he would take a while before he did that. Why upset an apple cart if he could use them for fodder.

He noted that yesterday while riding with the caravan M’lar and he chosen to be like the old roman soldiers work in the armor and weapons with them. After he gathered up the firewood last night, he knew something upset M’lar. He reasoned it would be best for her to tell him in her own good time. A part of him was hurt that she did not trust him enough to tell him but he knew she had to come to terms in her own good time and he knew before they made it back to Tennessee he would know what it was that bothered her to the point she had grown cold and distant.

Getting up he walked over to Mav kicked his boots, “Wake up your on watch, I could have slit your throat.” Mav sat up with a grunt and a scowl. “Don’t pay you to sleep when you are supposed to guard.” Mav set up and began to walk the perimeter as he had been instructed; While Tanner snored and then got another kick from Cody. “You too, wake up, you are on post get up and walk the other perimeter. Don’t let me catch you sleeping again got it!” Cody went back and laid down next to M’lar. He slept light because he knew or felt they might try to cut his throat for being a ball buster for not doing their job.

Cody slowly woke up M’lar with a light kiss to her forehead. She smiled slowly fluttered her lashes and opened her eyes and said softly, "Yuck morning breath." With a tease to her voice and cantriped both their mouths clean. “Oh good morning.” She sat up and stretched. Standing she shifted to get the kinks out of her body from sleeping on the ground.

"Time to get up milady." He started to unwrap his cloak off her body. Cody noted the others in the camp were starting to stir and they would have breakfast feed the horses and break camp with daylight was about an hour away M’lar turned and placed a light kiss on his lips whispering softly, "I will be back in a minute." She headed off into the wood.

Bathroom time he thought “Good idea,” and turned to walk off into the bushes away from where he had seen her go. There he relieved his own bladder with a slight sigh. When he got back he started to help break camp and getting the caravan ready for the day. M’lar had to ride in the middle of the caravan today and Cody chose to ride in the back.

Mav was riding with Cody he was the one that had attack M’lar the evening before. He started about mid-morning to ask Cody questions about M’lar. “How did you two meet?”  
“At a dance.” Quick and to the point eyes forward and watching for an ambush.

“She sure is something to look at and a good cook, you going to put a ring on her finger?”

“She has not indicated she is interested in marriage and I have not thought about.” Again, there it was a quick to the point answer with his eyes ahead and his anger beginning to boil.

“I bet she is a hellcat in bed. Is she kinky like doing it from behind and did she enjoy the nasty other parts of sex.”

Cody locked his jaw in place and gripped his reins he was about to hit this fool if he kept it up and clearly he was baiting him to get a reaction from him. Finally, having enough of his guff, Cody snapped out a retort that shut Mav down. "A gentleman does not talk of such things. Especially about a lady of the caliber of M’lar a priestess so excuse me if I don’t feel like answering any more of your questions, I suggest you keep your eyes open and alert to what might be waiting ahead." Cody shot a cold deathly look at Mav who looked away and then kicked the horse to pull away from Cody and ride next to the wagon.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co-authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 6

Campsite

It was before day breaking, Cody heart the twig snap and he was awake and slowly pushing M’lar off his body and away from him. Taking the cloak he had covered them both with, he threw it over her and the blanket too. She had not moved she was sound asleep. So he left her to sleep and gently nudged her under the wagon for protection. If they were going to be over- run he wanted her to have a fight chance, so he tucked her staff near her hands.

Sliding along with the long shadows he moved silently into the shadows and then he saw them dividing up and approaching in an arc to attack the camp. He was angry Mav, Tanner, and Conrad were sound asleep and they were about to be attack, and from the looks of how they were loaded up with weapons, he was not happy they would have been murdered in their sleep. He did not want to think about what would happen to M’lar. If what he had heard earlier he knew they would have taken her and possibly raped her. Then when they were done she would be sold to the slavers that must be around here. He had heard them talking about a fair price for her being a priestess to the slavers earlier another worry he would deal with later.

Finding a tree he shimmed silently up the branch that would support his weight, crouching down on the branch he slid his bow from his upper body, he had anchored the bow across his back and the bow string across his chest, sliding out an arrow he smiled, took a deep breath. Drawing his bow back he sighted the first one in his sight and let his arrow fly true and like the night before when the zombies attacked he nailed through the head. With a soft thunk the arrow struck the bandit through the back of his head and exited through his eye.

Taking care to balance and run along the branch he jump and landed on another branch catching his balance he shifted his body weight squatted down taking his position. He could not think of this as murder, or the taking of a human life. He had to focus on those he was entrusted to keep safe. They were his primary concern. So without thought and more like an automaton he notched his next arrow and took aim and the one next to him found the arrow through his head and he fell. That was two down seven to go if he had counted correctly.

One by one he notched, shot and downed until he got to number eight and that was when he felt his arm becoming fatigue and he was thinking of the men blow as men not murderous killers that would not hesitate to slit their throats in their sleep. He was beginning to sweat, the moisture beginning to run down his face and into his eyes and sting, he pulled the bow back aimed and then spoke silently, he knew the minute the arrow left its position he had been off by a hair, “Shit.” The arrow went through the bandits throat he would bleed out pretty quick but it was enough time for him to call out in pain and then he heard the gurgle of death as the bandit fell face forward alerting his pal not far from him he had been hit

Cody had to be quick; he had slid his bow over his head and slid down the tree to land with a soft thunk on the ground. Quickly and deftly darting into the shadows he pulled his knife from his boot and then blended to the trees and the shadows. He had him in his sights, coming up behind him, he grabbed him and drew his blade across his neck and slit it from ear to ear. Cody threw the body down and did not look at what he had done. This was the first time he had been this close when he took an actual life. His first kill was the first one, the ones after that was just collateral damage to secure the safety of his detail. Not giving it much thought he began to methodically drag the bodies, strip what he could use from the bodies and roll them down to the river and into the river. With the last one in the river he stood for a long time watching them float to the middle of the water and then sink below.

Turning he noticed that daylight would be breaking through the clouds shortly and he needed to break camp. Walking back to the wagon he saw M’lar lying there dead asleep, the slow rise and fall of her breasts the twitches she had when she was in deep sleep and worried about something. He studied her and then tucked the covers around her hoping he did not wake her, he put a light kiss on those lips and saw her smile and quit twitching in her sleep.

Walking over to Conrad, he kicked his boots, “Get up! Get your gear and your buddies and get the hell out of the camp, your services are no longer needed.” He pulled out nine silvers and dropped them at his feet. Conrad sat up and blinked, the man had blood on his jerkin and his face and had not realized he bore the marks of his kill on him. Conrad rolled to a standing position and looked guilty around and saw that Mav and Tanner were sound asleep.

“What happened?” Conrad scooped up the nine silvers and saw they were short six silvers. “This is not what we contracted for, it was supposed to be six silvers apiece.”

“You really want to do this? You slept through an attack, of nine bandits, and you are just one day out it was for three days and this is day two, I would say that is a fair payment for the worthless job you and your friends did.” Conrad looked away he knew Cody was right and he wanted to argue but he was covered in blood and said he had prevented an attack. If he took down all the bandits by himself he was one person he did not want to argue with or disagree.

“Fine, we are outta here anyhow.” He walked over and nudged Tanner and Mav. “Come on guys we are no longer needed for the job we have been dismissed.” Mav and Tanner rolled to a stand and glared at Cody then realized he was covered in blood. “We were paid for out time Mav you need to let it go, he killed some bandits by himself while we slept.” Mav was about to challenge Cody when he realized that Cody had saved his life.

“How many?” Mav asked and Cody sighed and looked at him. Then turning his back to head to the river to wash up because he did not want M’lar to see him covered in blood, he called back “Nine, in the river their gear is in a pile by your horses. Pick out what you want leave the rest for us.”

Mav was impressed he at least would share the booty taken but what impressed him the most was the man just said without emotion that he had killed nine bandits single handedly. Turning to Conrad he took his three silvers and pocketed them, at least with this he could get some food a drink and a whore for the night in the next town. Looking at the number of weapons on the men he killed the three men divided up what they wanted and left the rest behind for Cody. Riding off they did not bother to look back at the two wagons and the people they had shared a day with on the road.  
Cody stepped fully clothed into the river and began to wash off the blood of the last bandit from his body and face. He wished he could just cantrip like M’lar. Unfortunately, he could not and he certainly did not want her to see him like this. Hearing Meacham and Basham stirring about he walked back to the camp and began to help them break camp. By the time he was finished the sun had dried him so he could go and awaken M’lar from her deep sleep.

The next morning, she felt him gently tug the blanket and she sat up and nearly conked her head on the bottom of the wagon. “What the . . . “M’lar rolled out from under the wagon and looked around and noted that Cody had done her part in breaking camp along with his own. Folding her blanket she rolled it into her bag of holding. Curious she fixed them a quick breakfast and kept wondering why he had not awakened her for her watch.

He had been so distant since he woken her. Now while she boiled the water and watched him avoid her gaze or looking her in the eyes she cold sees a part of her own demons in him and wondered why? The one time she did catch his gaze on her and she saw his eyes she knew and more than sensed he was in some kind of emotional pain. He was hurting and the one time she had a haunted look like that was the night she had to shoot her first kill or be killed situation.

She had noticed that Tanner, Conrad and the cretin Mav was gone. When he would catch her looking at him he would duck his chin or turn away and she knew he did not want her to see his pain. She muttered softly, “Typical man.” She huffed softly, and continued to get the meal ready as the others were unwaveringly doing what needed to be done to break camp.

She could see he was hurting and it was very prevalent in his eyes. They were changed, they had seen death and now she knew he needed to work it out but she wanted to be there to help and support him through it. God knows she needed support that night she shot and killed that nineteen year old that was just as determined to blow her head off with his shotgun. He now carried the same look she had and he was going through what she had experienced with taking a human life. How many times had she seen it on other officer’s faces and in their eyes? It was always the eyes reflected the pain and the gut wrenching tearing at your soul look, because you had been forced to take a life.

She had thought it should not be so easy to take a life, there had to be more to it than a moment in time to the reaction of kill or be killed, it was instinct to protect her partner and to preserve his life and her life. She had seen him first and the gun as he exited the vehicle and in a flash of a millisecond her gun was out and she had fired, she had heard a momentary pause when the gun exploded with its discharge in her hand, he had pulled his trigger but so had her partner. She saw him buckle and fall on his side and she knew she had hit him center mass that is what she was supposed to do. Then she heard her partner calling for the Sarg, medical and ID to come. The rest had been a blur and the thing was she felt nothing. Not at first, then as the days began flow past her she tried to analyze everything hell she had to for Internal Affairs, she had to go on administrative leave and counseling.

Even the counselor could see she had disassociated from what had happened. This was not a good thing and for her she did not need him to disassociate so she needed to be there when he needed her. Disassociation a nasty part of being a cop, After all she had seen that look before when she was a cop. Mostly in her own mirror with her eyes reflecting back at her condemning her, questioning her, and finally accepting it and moving on with life. She had lived through that first time of taking a human life.

She saw a he had the bag of holding and was stowing something in it. So, he must have gone out after she went to sleep to collect what he could off the bodies. Finishing up the breakfast for everyone she called them to eat. Sitting back she rested her back against the wheels of the wagon and ate, watching the area and occasionally watching Cody nervously for any sign of healing after doing what he had to do to keep them safe. Deep down a part of her did not want him to feel those feelings she had wrestled with for years. For such a young man she did not want to see him hurting. And she hated seeing him like this.

Finishing breakfast, Cody explained what happened to Basham, Meacham and her. He had dismissed the other three and sent them packing since they could not keep their eyes open and the camp safe. Basham and Meacham were grateful and shook his hand. Turning he called out, “Let’s move out!” The caravan rolled out about an hour later. M’lar rode in back with Cody. She wished they were not here but somewhere else where she could just hold him and tell him, reassure him that it would be all right that with time and the circumstance’s that he did the right thing. She hoped he would let her help him work thru this.

But that was not to be, in some ways he was so much like her in temperament and his way of healing was to withdraw. She had tried to engage him in conversation along the way. “I know what you are feeling. I am here for you if you need me.” She saw him look at her with those anguished pained filled eyes and look back up at the road. “Thanks.” One solitary word, which was a signal to her, he was not ready to talk. Trying for a lightness she teased him, “You did not kiss me good morning you know you owe me a kiss now.” She had smiled and noted a slight upturn of his lips only to return to that no nonsense stoic look to the road ahead. “All right maybe later I can start banking your kisses.”

She fell silent and she too looked ahead. Her own mind was racing back to her kill. Yes, she killed had killed in the line of duty. From what she understood he had killed nine men in cold blood. The only sound that he would live with for the rest of his life was the sound of the one man as he yelled out to alert his buddies and the gurgling noise of the one whose throat he had slit and felt his life leave his body before he dropped him to the ground. She wanted to ask him if he had looked them in the eyes when they died because she had her kill. She saw it the moment that his life left his body. Shaking her head she knew asking him that would just muck up his mind more and that was the last thing she wanted to do to him. So she rode in silence next to him letting him brood and work through his own moral code.

About midday they stopped to allow the horses to rest and they had taken the ferry across the river and now were on the road again headed to their destination. Cody looked up and noticed that the clouds were building into a huge thunderhead. They were darker than normal clouds would be for a storm and he had a feeling they were unnatural in form and nature. It was all building in the direction they were headed. Cody cut the break short he wanted to make it to town before the rain. Pulling his cloak from the back of his roll he slid it over his shoulders and felt the first dampness of a light rain just beginning a head of something more powerful to come. “Better cover up that looks like a gully washer coming in.”

He watched as M’lar took out her cloak and slid it on and pulled her hood up over her head and hair. Before he would have put it on for her and stroked her cheek as he lifted the hood. This coldness and distance was unnerving with the building storm headed towards them. It was killing her and making her feel bereft with him withholding his touch. Not even an encouraging light kiss on her lips to reassure her. She wanted to feel his touch even if it was just holding hands, a light kiss on her fore head or anything that would reassure her that what she was now feeling was not intense evil that wanted to follow them even hurt them or tear them apart. Yes that was the feeling and it unnerved her and made her want to withdraw but she could not be that selfish and think of her feelings she needed to focus on his needs and his feelings.

About an hour and a half later it started to rain something moved beside the road and it appeared to be keeping pace with them as they shambled through the Tepurch Forest to the Village of Gandor River. This would be the stopping point for Basham and Meechan. They would then look to hire out their services at the next Village it was supposed to be larger and there would be more merchants there that would hire them as guards for their travels. Rounding a corner and a small break in the rain to peak out some sunlight before it was swallowed up by the fast moving clouds Cody saw out of a comer of his eye what he thought was a wolf. It was bigger and darker wolf than he and his sister had taken to see with M’lar and her friends.

He smiled slightly remembering they had gone to a shop called the White Wolf Pottery and there he had watched her eyes alight and she smiled so sweetly and went down on her knees to run her fingertips through the wolf’s fur, he was amazed to see the wolf so readily accept her touch and then licked her finger and her face and she had laughed, that he believes is when he really began to crush on her. She was not afraid to get close to an animal that was wild and had a distinct odor to it that most would wrinkle their nose and look away, much as her friends except for her sister had done that day. That had seemed like a long time ago another time another place another decade.

Speaking softly, he said, "I think our peeping Tom has a friend looking after us." He watched her nod; she apparently was in deep lost thought too. When they started moving again she slid her glance to the spot she last saw movement. Her heart skipped a beat. Cody had spoken to her again, but it was not so much what he said but how he had said it. Seeing the cold eyes peering back at her she felt her heart skip a beat and a fear of unreasoning means filled her to the core of her being. Colder than the rain that was now lashing her body.

Whispering softly her chin tucked and her eyes following the large shadow she asked. "What is it?"  
He spoke in monotone "A dark wolf, it was just saw it out of the comer of my eye, back where we stopped for the horses to rest"

“Is that how long has it been following us?” He could hear the edge of her fear in her voice, as she kept her chin tucked and the front of her cloak shielding her face from the rainfall.

“Yes, don’t worry it had not tried to make a move to attack, it’s just tracking us from what I have been able to gather.”

Then the both of them fell into an uneasy silence until the late afternoon the caravan arrived at their destination. They rode through town to the port near a wood structure that Meacham and Basham said was a warehouse. M’lar stayed on her horse and waited for the dock workers unload the wagons. Basham came over and asked M’lar to go and get him and Meacham a room for the night and gave her enough money to get a room for her and Cody, "I will meet you all at the common room of the inn tomorrow with your money about midday. Thank you both and now I think you can go and get out of this rain and warm up.” He smiled at them both and turned to the men that he appeared to know very well.

Cody and M’lar walked together leading their horses to the inn. Cody took her reins, “I will see they are well cared for, you go get us a room, and get out of those wet clothing.” She smiled and waited for the quick kiss for luck and felt his withdrawal once again. She sighed and turned walking a solitary figure to the inn. Walking to the front desk she threw back her hood and requested three rooms, paying the amount of money requested and finding it was a fair amount so she did not need to argue the price, she walked up the solid stairs to the room she was assigned, she had left the names of the other two that would need rooms with the clerk below.

Opening the door to the room, she walked it and was pleased to see it was charming but to be safe she cantriped the room clean and cast unseen servant to clean it a second time, she was not about to share her bed with a brooding man and bedbugs too. Turning she went down to the front desk and ordered food to be delivered to their room. Throwing her bag of holding on the bed, she pulled out a soft shear white gown with a matching robe and walked down the hallway to the bathing chambers and make quick work of getting her shower, and washing her hair to cantrip it dry.

Walking back to the room, she went up on her toes and did a circle in front of the mirror and saw the gown was light and alluring. It would flow out around her ankles and fall to dance around them when the gown settled over her body. She giggled she had not felt this girly in a long time. Looking at her image in the mirror she smiled. “Surely he will notice me now, I hope to make him happy tonight.” Walking to the windows she secured them to make sure that nothing from outside would disturb them this night. Hearing the doorknob move she turned and smiled, a soft glow from the fire place bathed her in its warm glow and she looked at Cody who was at the door waiting.

She teased him, "You smell go down the hallway and get a bath. I have ordered food for us." She pressed her soft body against his and tried to kiss him finding he was only capable of giving her a peck on her lips and a slight smile. The reaction she just got was one she had received many times before from her second ex-husband when he was only doing the obligatory return of affection a kind of just going through the motions, which would single to her that he must have a new mistress.

She watched him go out the door with his bag of holding and head to the hallway to the bathing chambers. She would not get discouraged, she would be patient and let him set the tone of how he planned to deal with his actions. Turning back into the room she walked to the bed. Draping herself across the bed in a sexy pose she waited at least she could present him with a pretty picture of what he could have when he was ready. She was fighting her own insecurities. She knew it was because he had not killed before. It was not easy for her hell she was trained to kill. He had not been trained to kill. She knew he had gone down the tube and was in a very dark place and what was it the psyche said, you have to tunnel out surround yourself with bright happiness and it will soon enough disappear and you will learn to cope. So now she laid there on the bed waiting for the food to be delivered and took on her most seductive pretty pose for him when he came back to the room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 7

Gandar River Inn

M’lar laid on the bed waiting for Cody’s return she just wanted to hold him and let him feel she was supporting him and was there to help him through his pain. She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes and heard a soft knock on the door. Pulling her robe close to her body she called, "Come in the door is open." The door open a servant came in with a tray of warm food. Glancing at the woman of some considerable charm on the bed, he averted his eyes but felt he had gotten an eyeful earlier. Walking hunched shoulder to the table he sat the tray on the table and bowed to her then turned to leave.

Walking to the door to make sure he had left, she turned and slipped the robe off and then draped herself on the bed, lying on her side anxiously watching the door. When the door opened Cody walked in and looked at her on the bed, then he looked to the food on the table. She could smell he was clean. However he had not combed his hair and it was still a mess. He stood closing the door dressed in his poet shirt and pants. She bite her lip thinking how fine and sexy he looked and she wanted to take her fingers and comb his hair. Sliding from the bed, she walked to him and tried to peer into his eyes. He avoided her gaze and turned to walk to the bed. She sighed this was going to be a long night. But then again it might be too soon to push her needs on him.

Watching him go to the bed, she went to the table lifted the tray and brought it over to the bed and set it on the edge, then she walked around to the other side and sat on the edge of the bed, she glanced at the door to see he had locked it before he walked away from it. She set the tray in front of him and smiled. ”I got you beef and vegetables, I hope you are hungry.” He glanced at the food then to her, he knew she wanted him to react or respond to her but there was something in him he had not resolved. He just needed a little more time. He watched her hide her disappointment. She had slipped off the bed again and came to his back and began to gently massage his sore muscles and his neck. God it felt good. She had great hands and the strength in those hands were reflected in how deep she could work his neck muscles which were rock hard muscles. “You are so tense Cody, you need to relax and let me massage those knots out of your neck.”

He rolled his arm back and that was a signal to her that he did not want to be touched, she dropped her hands in her lap and lowered her chin looking at his back she shook her head, he was slipping away from her and being eaten alive by the guilt and she knew he was not ready to talk about it. That hurt but it was not her needs or her feelings that mattered at this point it was his and apparently she needed to give him some space, sliding away from him she walked to the head of the bed and crossed her arms and looked at his slumped finger as he barely touched his meal. He could not let her see his pain, it was too deep and she could not possibly understand what he was feeling. He could not let her see the monster he surely must have become.

This had upset her enough that she could not eat, she felt no hunger and she was hurting inside as much as he was, she had never really gotten over the kid she had killed and she wondered if things would ever be the same between them. She now had to evaluate her own demons and so she spoke softly. “What kind of person did you think I was Cody when we first met? What kind of woman did you truly believe I was?”

She watched him and waited for his answer. I thought you outclassed me and you were fine looking lady and I would never have a chance with you. I thought if I asked you to dance or let you know how I felt that you would laugh at me and turn me down and think I was a foolish young kid and that would have crushed me. I had this big bad crush on you and that was from years ago, for me but for you, it was just yesterday.” He watched the look of shock edge across her face. She shook her head yet another reference to him being from the future when the future was here in this land.

She looked down and he saw a tear slid down her cheek, “You really think I am that shallow. That I would not have thought you were the sweetest nicest guy I had ever met?” Cody I am a horrible person, I am someone that you should be ashamed to be with. I have done things in my life that I can’t be proud of nor would I ever want to taint you with my soiled soul. You are the epitome of a true gentleman and if I were the lady you think I was, I would never had thought of even trying to seduce you in that garden. My like if fucked up and yes I am saying fucked up Cody, I am a mess I am coming off a hell of a divorce with a man that used me as a punching bag and I let him because,” she took a deep breath and it was a shaky emotional deep breath. “Because I am soiled goods. I was ganged raped while working under cover and I have not ever forgotten that, and I killed a kid one night Cody, I brought my gun up and blew his heart out of his chest. I am wicked and no good.”

She swallowed hard and took a shuddering breath, “So your perceptions of who or what I was is so way off, I was a cop, I had to fight my way up to be accepted and then when I got the dream assignment I screwed the pooch. Or rather,” She laughed with no humor, “They screwed me. I had them on wire and they were dirty and then the next thing I know my Lieutenant was the one that sold me out and set me up for a hard fall. They did not break me but then they did make me feel isolated and alone and afraid. So I married to keep them away from me. But, “she gave a half grunt that should have been a chuckle but was nothing like a laugh. “I married a man that beat me when he was drunk and I let him do it because the psych said I felt I deserved it but no woman deserves that because of what happened, so I have nightmares still about that night and about when my husband used to beat me. I nearly beat him to death one night with a whiskey bottle and I walked out of the house after packing my dogs and my cloths and walked away from him.”

He sat quietly on the bed and studied her, he had suspected she had been hurt but not to this extent. She looked up and smiled a tense little smile. “So I don’t judge Cody, I don’t have that right. I know what you are feeling because I have been there and frankly I would not judge you for what you did in a kill or be killed situation. You are the only one that can resolve those issues, you are the only one that can forgive yourself. I just want you to know I am here for you and when you are ready I will stand by you and lo. .” She caught herself she had no right to say love him, she had to hold on to that, so she corrected her thoughts, “I will help you through this I will be your friend and I will care about you until I die.” He stood from the bed and carried the tray to the table.

She watched him walk away from her and figured she had just lost him completely, he would see her differently from this day forward and if she lost his as a friend she was not sure what she would do. Withdrawing into herself she laid down on the bed, she was tired and she needed to get up early to collect some herbs and to buy some components for her spells she would need.

Rolling onto her side she laid there and felt him sit on the edge of the bed next to her and then he blew out the candle and stretched out and rolled on his side with his back to her and her back to him. She lay there until fatigue finally took her and she slept. Realizing he had gone to bed in his shirt and pants he stood and undid his pants and pulled his shirt from his body and laid them on the chair by the bed, he looked over at her curled into a fetal position and he threw a blanket over her and then laid down and locked his fingers behind his head. He studied the ceiling. He was thinking about what he had done and what she had been through he had not known she had been a cop. That put a whole new slant on things.

She had been through so much and now she had bared her soul to him and how did he react, he had withdrawn and that was not what she needed and did he hear her almost say she loved him? Surely he was tired and feeling drained to have heard that correctly. Sighing he rolled over and studied her laying next to him. She was to him at that times the very thing he had wanted in his life but was too shy to take or ask or go for it as his friends had chided him to do. Now she was in his bed and wanting to be in his arms and he was acting like that naïve young boy all over again.

Unlocking his hands from the back of his head he rolled to his side and looked at the soft line of her body outlined in a gown that made her look exceptionally lovely and she had dressed for him and how had he reacted he had turned from her and had locked his emotions down while he internalized it. She thought she had soiled herself when it was not her fault he was angry that they had done that to her, that had to have been a horrifying time of her life not knowing if they were going to kill her but she never showed any of that on the outside and an ex-husband that had beaten her, those had to be deep emotional bruises that she hid well too. “Cody you are a dumbass.” He muttered softly to himself. “You got what you wanted she is laying here next to you! She is not married and she wants you and you are being a pud, now roll over there and pull her into her arms and hold her.”

Scooting over to her he pulled her into his arms. She was so different than Shirley had been, if he had tried to pull Shirley into a cuddling home she would have pushed against him or try to choke him or slap him. She would have been a total and complete bitch and berated him for trying to be affectionate, but no M’lar, she was as he envisioned her so long ago, sharing, loving and giving and she so readily in her deep sleep curled into his hold and gently feathered a light kiss against his chest and throat. He smiled; this is how it should be when you share your life with the woman of your dreams. Falling asleep he felt her head on his chest with her hand curled into a tiny fist on his chest.

Her own thoughts were he had been so cold and she had lost something with him, would she ever be able to find that deep affection they had shared before he confession, he had his issues and she had hers except now hers was out in the open and she was not sure how they would be when the sun shone on them in the morning that is if this damn storm ever moved on. It had come on them so quick and had washed over the land with a fury, even now in her sleep she could hear the rain lashing at the windowpanes and she curled closer to him seeking his warmth and his tenderness. Her dreams were haunting her again, she could see their faces as they held her pinned beneath them helpless and unable to move or use any tactic to protect her self she was truly vulnerable. Helpless that is how she felt and she knew she felt that way trapped in a loveless marriage with a monster that used any excuse to drink and beat her.

With him it had been different he had been tender and sweet and too good to be true and now she had given him her whole soiled past and took a chance to let the chips fall where they may. She did not want to admit this time spent with him was making her fall for him, to love him as he should he deserved someone better than her. She had to keep her own emotions locked down and not allow the feelings to surface; they were facing life and death situations and emotions just made things messy. Her dreams began to shift and she was in a woods the area around her was shadowed and there were those eerie red glowing eyes. They frightened her and she was running and then she fell and when she did she felt pressure between her legs, her eyes flew open it was not a dream, she looked down and her gown was pushed up and Cody had his head between her legs and was gently licking the inside of her thighs.

He slowly moved up to the area he knew he could elicit a reaction. He glanced up to see she had stretched her hand over to touch where he had been laying. Now her eyes were closed and her upper lip was beaded with sweat, she was feeling what he wanted her to fell, and he was working his tongue in that spot that made her grin her hips and arched her back as he gently massaged her nipples. They were taunt and standing up on her breasts letting him know he had hit the right spot.

When he found that place between her legs with his tongue. He attack it with such passionate fury he felt her run her fingertips through his hair to his scalp, wiggling her hips to force his head deeper. She moaned softly, “Oh don’t stop, oh my god, don’t stop oh Cody I want you! I need you take me Cody. Don’t leave me.” Truly she did not want this moment to end. It was as she had thought it would be a point of ecstasy that was driving her body to and her mind to distraction. When she had released wetting his face with her release she felt drained and weak, he had brought her to the edge of pure desire and need and let her find release. He felt the pressure released on his hair and head and she lay limply. He crawled up next to her. Sweat was running down her face and body she looked at him with a look of wonder and then the tremors of her orgasm hit her and she began to shake. Curling her fingers into the bed sheets and blankets she rode out the point of no return waiting for it to end when she finally released the second part of her orgasm she was panting. “Hold me Cody, hold me tight.” A part of her wanted more, she wanted to be wholly forgiven and to feel him move inside of her to feel his weight on her body and to feel him release his own need into her so she could accept him and take his pain from him.

He curled into her body and held her close and felt the air waft over them both and he chuckled softly, she had just cantriped them clean and he knew this night was not over he wanted her to feel clean and pure in his eyes and he had intended to take her to the height of her needs and bring her back to earth when they were both ready. Curling her under him, he scooped her hips up and looked deep into that storm tossed colored eyes and smiled, “Tonight is for us M’lar you and me and nothing is going to come between us and this moment.” He kissed her deeply demanding as much from her as she was from him. They had shared something and now they were bonded together and he was not going to be that shy scared boy he was a man and he had a woman in his arms. He kissed her lightly and whispered in her ears, “I am sorry” He was sincere.

“Sorry for what my Ranger?”

"For shutting you out. When you wanted to help me through the pain. I have helped kill people in the past. But never so up close and personal. This was in cold blood."

She snuggled close to his chest. "You are so young too sweet to have to deal with that. What you need to remember they would have killed us if you had not stopped them."

"I know that is the way of this land kill or be killed. And I gave you my word that I would keep you safe."

With that she moved her hand and felt he was ready to enter her. "Lay back and just enjoy, milord." She smiled and she was glorious with her hair draped over her naked breasts sitting on top of him. Straddling him he felt his sex slide easily inside her and then she began to move on top of him, with the night growing long they made love for the rest of the night until they both fell asleep in each other’s arms. It was not until daylight that the storm had abated a little and M’lar had slipped quietly from bed to take care of her shopping, they would need supplies to get them to the next town and she would need components. Dressing quietly, she combed her hair and tied it up. Grabbing her bag of holding she quietly let herself out of the room and walked down the stairs, having a quick bite of breakfast she did have to admit that she was hungry she had not eaten supper but that did not matter she was happy and she was glowing.

Humming softly, she walked to the docks and selected what she needed and what they would need on the road, securing it in her bag of holding, she turns and started back to the inn. Reflecting on the differences between shopping here and at some mall back home. Glancing up she saw the clouds were moving over the land in an unnatural way. The people had been talking about the storm and they were saying it was of an unnatural and unholy contrivance and she head the occasional mentioning of the name Strahd. An unusual name for sure, however while she was strolling along the roadway she had the uncanny feeling she was being watched if not followed.

Passing the stables she felt a shove in the small of her back and she twisted to see who it was when she was knocked down on the muddied water swollen ground. “Grab her.” Mav was ordering Conrad and Tanner to pin her to the ground. He smiled and it was a flash back to that day so long ago.

Tanner held her right arm while Conrad held her left. She watched in horror as Mav, bent down and jerked her pants down and the other two opened her legs up. “You are going to pay us back for what you buddy did not pay us one way or another.” He laughed and began to undo his pants, when M’lar felt blood spurt over her face and breasts, Mav’s head went spinning up in the air to land down on the ground with the sound of a ripe pumpkin being dropped. Conrad looked down at his chest and in shock, his eyes wide as his heart was taken from his chest and that left Tanner who had stood up only to feel his chest ripped open and his heart was taken out and now held in the bony talon hand of a hag. The hag turned and looked at the dark emaciated looking creature that had cleaved Mav’s head from his body.

“Is she hurt?”

The creature crawled over her blood-covered body and began to lick the blood from her face and her neck his elongated teeth glistening in the soft light of the dark ally. “She breathes and she is delicious, the master will be pleased, she was not soiled by the others.” His red glowing eyes looked at the vein in her throat pumping blood through her body and he licked his lips.

“Not for you Dolrum, not for you she is to be the Master’s bride.”

M’lar was filled with fear, she began to thrash her head back and forth and she just kept repeating over and over, “No, no, no, no. No body’s bride!” M’lar was revolted by the whole act of being nearly raped again, that had caused old demons to rise in her mind and she had felt helpless being held down by those horrible men. Now this misshapen thing was on her and talking about her becoming their master’s bride, not in her life time and she tried to push against the thing that held her pinioned to the ground. He drew his talon finger down the side of her cheek and smiled, M’lar watched the look that was there replaced by one of shock and then confusion and he looked down and saw a blade protruding from his chest. The hag screamed and launched herself and the fury of the man that stood behind Dolrum. She screeched trying to rake his face and he twisted and brought his blade back around and cleaved her in half.

Cody filled with the rage of his entire body coldly and with as much force as he could control and must spoke though his clinched teeth. "The lady said no!” Stepping back he bent down to Dolrum whom he knew was only wounded not dead. Pulling his putrefied head up him spoke against his ear. "Tell your master that she is no one’s bride unless she chooses them.” He slammed him back on the ground and lifted M’lar from the ground and held her against his chest. “Come on let’s get the hell out of here.”

Carrying her from the alley he heard the voice of Dolrum, “You will regret this, you will die slowly on the end of a pike and I will like your bones clean!” M’lar hid he face in his neck and sighed a soft release of her fear against his neck.

“Thank you Ranger, for rescuing me again.” He turned his face and she kissed him and at that moment the clouds over head opened to shine a ray of light down on the two.

From a castle not far from them a dark figure growled low, “I want them found and brought here!” Azalin was not going to let Strahd have his Tatyana he would move the heavens and earth to possess her soul before this was over.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co-authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 8

Alley in Gandar River town

She lay there, eyes closed her breasts heaving and she was pale as death, she was reliving the hell she had lived through once before, so long ago when she had been held down and taken advantage of by her own brother officers. They had to teach her a lesson and this had been the same mentality that had just occurred. Was this a portent that she would relive all the horrible events of her past life here too? She was going into shock and Cody immediately recognized the signs. Whipping off his cloak he knew he had to preserve her body heat.

Bending down he tugged her into a standing position and she was trembling so badly her knees buckled and he caught her and wrapped his cloak around her. “It will be fine milady, come on we have to get you back to the room.” If he had to he would pay for another night and delay their travels, at this time she was a basket case and in no condition to travel. Her eyes were fixed and her face as pale as death itself and she was not coherent. He lifted her chin to peer down into those storm tossed colored eyes and saw for the very first time his own image and the image of his children in her eyes. His heart had been captured in that moment of heroism and he was not about to let her go to anyone else but him.

 

Stables near Inn

Lifting her in his arms he carried her to the stables and put her on a bale of straw. Wiping the silent tears from her eyes he felt her hands cover his but hers could not stop shaking. “I . . . I was . . I should have . . . I did not ...” He pressed his gloved fingertip to her lips. He shook her heads and gently kissed those lips that trembled to shut her up. He did not want to hear her say she was at fault. It was not her fault and it sure as hell was not his, They did not have time to play the guilt game anymore he had resolved that they needed to keep moving and he had to get her home, some monster out there had marked her as his unholy bride and he was not about to let that happen.

“M’lar you are not soiled goods, not in my eyes, not in my heart and by no means will I ever let you say that again. You are one of the purists souls I have ever had the privilege of knowing and sharing my life with and for you I will not I swear I will not allow this to consume any of us. Now I want you to cantrip yourself clean and then I will help you back to the inn. Can you do that?”

She looked at him and the pain and anguish that filled her eyes as she tried to concentrate on his words and she slowly nodded her head. Lifting her fingers she muttered softly, “Cantrip clean.” A warm air floated over their bodies and Cody felt the cleansing of his body and his armor. He looked down to see she had cleansed her own self and was still hugging her arms to her body to try and calm her trembling. She took a deep shuddering breath and nodded, she was ready or so she thought, when she pushed from the bales of straw she felt her knees buckle again. He caught her and that moment was charged with his need to calm her and her need to just be held by him until the trauma of what had just happened had passed. Gathering her close he held her a moment longer until he felt her regain her balance and her strength. Wrapping his arm under her arms and around her shoulders he supported her to the street and then back to the inn.

The whole journey was made in silence and the pelting of the rain against their bodies as the relentless storm continued to try and drive them back into the open and away from the inn. Cody was just as determined to make sure they got to the inn, he was not about to let something as dark and evil and unholy as was sent to take M’lar from him keep him from getting her to safety. Leading her through the door and up the stairs he secured the door, walked her to the bed, and seated her on the edge of the bed. Methodically he began to secure the room against any intruders or meddling eyes. He watched her from the corner of his eyes as he drew the curtains on the window, built up the fire in the fireplace, then returned to her huddled figure on the edge of the bed. Stooping down he spoke softly cupping her cheek in his gloved hand. “My dearest one, I am going down stairs and wait for Mr. Basham and Meacham to get our pay. Then I will get our supplies for the trip. . .” He started to stand when her hand shot out and held him in place.

He looked down at the white-knuckled grip she held on him. Her gaze was filled with fear and her manner had become one that was reacting in terror. “Don’t leave me alone Cody, please don’t go. Don’t leave me by myself, there is something out that that wants me to be his and I feel him watching me and I see him in my nightmares and last night I heard his voice calling to me while I slept, I can’t be alone you just can’t leave me alone!” She curled her fingers into his arm holding tightly to him. He covered her hand with his. Laying his forehead against her forehead he spoke softly.

“Then you go with me, get your cloak. We will leave when you are ready and can stand ok?” He watched her tensely smile and then nod slowly; her eyes were swimming with her tears of uncertainty and fear. “Good, let me know when you are ready and we will go.” He sat next to her and gathered her into his arms and held her until he felt her resolve kick into play. When she took that cleansing breath he knew they would be vacating the room. “I am going to gather our things, your bag of holding and mine and we will go down and wait for payment, then we will see about finding some more work. Is that going to work for you?” She nodded again and together they stood to go out the door.

Taking her hand in his he walked with her to the common room. “I am going right over there and order us some ale and some food, we need to have full stomachs before we set out. Are you going to be all right?” He watched her emotions change the color of her eyes as she thought about being alone in the crowded common room. She nodded and gave him a halfhearted smile. He gently ran his fingertip over her cheek, leaning down to lightly kiss the tip of her nose. She anxiously watched him order their food and drink.

While they waited for their food and ale, Basham and Meacham entered the inn. Both men must have made well on their cargo because they appeared to be in good spirits and to be very happy with their situation. “Ahh Ranger Cody!” Basham called and smiled patting a full purse on his belt. “Mr. Meacham and I have come to make good our payment for your fine services and where is the lovely M’lar?” He looked around and saw her sitting quietly in the corner looking at her hands. Handing over the contracted amounts he patted his hand and dropped extra coins in his hands. “That is for the lady to buy her something nice.” He clapped him on his shoulder turned and waddled to the fireplace and sat on a bench and ordered his own meal.

Meacham walked to Cody and shook his hand. The very happy merchant handed Cody his share of the contractual agreed upon coin and he too dropped six extra gold in his hand. “That is for M’lar, I agree with Basham get her something nice she deserves it. You are a lucky man to have found such a delightfully beautiful woman. Hold on to her she could disappear some night and that would be a shame.”

He looked nervously towards the woman that sat quietly in the corner and would occasionally look up towards him. “Oh and there is a merchant by the docks that is seeking to hire more guards, you might wish to go down and contract with him. We told him what an excellent job you both had done and he is interested in adding him to his contingent. They are heading up river towards Valliai. That city is about five days ride up river. They will be leaving the day after tomorrow.” He cleared his throat and patted his very corpulent figure and smiled. “Mr. Michalson will be traveling with two other merchants, a Mr. Travelstead and Carter. They have a larger caravan and I believe they have already hired six guards and will require two more. Naturally as pleased as we were with you, we had to tell them of your excellent care of us.”

Cody smiled pocketed the coins and nodded. “Thank you Mr. Meacham and Mr. Basham for the nice word and for letting us know, we really need to get things rolling to head towards the Northeast section of this country there is a wise old man we need to meet and speak with about our situation here, in Lower Barovia.” He watched Meacham frown and look nervously over to the table and to M’lar.

“Ranger Cody have you a moment to join me outside? There is something you need to know about this land and the location where you are heading. I have a book, you need to see.” He looked around uncomfortably.

Cody looked anxiously to M’lar and watched her look at him curiously. He smiled. “I am going to the front porch I will be in sight and you will be fine.” He called to her and she smiled tensely and nodded. Cody followed Meacham out to his carriage and he reached into his carpet bag shuffled around and pulled out a large leather bound book. He opened the book and flipped a couple of pages and then stopped turned the book and handed it to Cody. Cody took the book and his eyes widened. She sat there on a red satin bench, her gown was of the purest white, the veil draped over her long blond hair and her eyes, and it was the eyes that peered at him with hope, love and happiness. It was M’lar only it was not M’lar, it was a blond woman that looked very much like M’lar.

Glancing down at the name under the portrait he read, ‘Tatyana Von Zarovich, Princess and bride of Sergei Von Zarovich.’ Cody looked up. “Who was she?” He reluctantly handed the book back and watched Meacham thumb through and hand the book back to him the man was stern looking and held a hint of evil and death about him. His eyes were dark and piercing and his look was one of danger and untold horrors to come. Under the portrait the name was written “Strahd Von Zarovick, King Barovia Lord of Ravenloft, Land killer and undead dark lord’ Cody spoke in a bare whisper he was afraid of what Meacham might say. “This man is a problem for us?”

Meacham nodded, “He fell in love with his brother’s wife Tatyana, he murdered him on their wedding night, he killed all the nobles that had shown up to attend and he wanted her to be his. She was too overcome with her grief over the loss of her husband Sergei, Strahd pursued her through the castle chasing her to the towers where to escape him she climbed the battlements and threw herself from the top of the castle, and she died. This drove Strahd insane and he was not about to lose her soul so he captured her soul and she is reborn every fifty years into a new body. He has yet to keep his beloved Tatyana. But he pursues her still. Your M’lar looks like Tatyana and he will believe that is she returned to him and will come to claim her. I am telling you this so you both will take the proper precautions.”

This was a new and definite wrinkle and now he understood the dynamics of what was going on and he had his life complicated by the fact that they not only had to fight to get to this wise old man in the mountains but now he had to keep her hidden from some psychopathic vampire that thought she was his long lost love reincarnated in M’lar. He was wrestling with the fact he was not sure he wanted her to know this, she was already messed up from the attack by the losers earlier and nearly raped again, then to have a vampire and a hag attack her and try to take her to someone like Strahd was going to be a lot for her to accept. “Thank you Mr. Meacham for all you have done and trust me now I understand and know what is going on I can at least prepare for any possible attacks.”

Meacham put his book away and turned “You really need to go see Travelstead now, I will be happy to go in and keep M’lar company until you return.” He nodded down the street to a tall male figure wearing leather armor and looking like a well-traveled merchant that was preparing for a long ride. Cody hesitated then said softly, “Look she was attacked earlier by Mav, Tanner and Conrad. I think she is still upset because they tried to force their intentions on her. You won’t mind sitting with her until I get back?”

Meacham was shocked and appalled by such actions and nodded. “I will sit with her until you return and let no other near her unless she wishes. You need to go before he signs the rest of his crew on and that leaves you here awaiting the next caravan which would not be due for another month.” Cody thanked him and with his long stride headed down the street, he was no more than a block away when M’lar was at the door. Meacham turned and looked with a degree of sympathy to the tragic figure looking half scared to death and anxious with Cody’s back disappearing down the street. “Oh my dear M’lar come my kind lady and allow an old man the pleasure or your company, Ranger Cody has gone to secure your next job and left your presence to my capable hands to keep safe until his return.” He walked towards her and saw her stiffen then relax and smile.

Turning she entered with him into the room. “Thank you Mr. Meacham I suppose he told you I had a rough morning?” He nodded, she blushed wondering what he told her.

“He said to keep you safe or I fear I would be sorely thrashed by him should I not, now come along and let us enjoy a pint of ale and some pleasant conversation and I myself shall wish to dine I have to keep my figure you know.” He patted his portly stomach and gently led her back to the table she had occupied earlier. The keep brought her lunch and Cody’s but took Cody’s back and set two pints on the table in front of her and Meacham. The conversation had been safe and it was not long until Cody had returned with a smile and went to the Innkeeper to procure their room for another two days.

Walking to the table he sat down next to her and across from Meacham, “Well we have a new job, we leave day after tomorrow so we can put up here for a couple of days and be ready to leave at first light, this caravan is larger and it looks like he has hired mercenaries. We should be fine on this journey and they estimate with five wagons it will take five days.” He glanced expectantly at her bent head while she ate her stew nibbled and then swallowed. She had lost the tremor in her hands and she seemed to be calmer so he thought that perhaps Meacham’s company had distracted her enough to calm her down.

“Well as pleasant as your company has been, I find myself needing to head home. My wife will not be happy if I am not there for her very delicious dinner, so I bid you both a good trip and I surely hope to meet with you again someday soon.” He kissed M’lar’s hand and shook Cody’s then waddled to the door. M’lar watched him leave and she smiled she was calm again and serene and on the surface appeared to be at peace.

“I like him, he is a true gentleman and somewhat like I thought you will be in a few more years except I cannot see you with that round belly and in those short breeches, with those spindly legs, you are built too well to be that short or rotund. Did you see he walks like a duck? Dear man he is pigeon toed.” She giggled and it was good to hear her giggle. He took her hand in his and looked at the ink-covered tips and sighed.

“I hope I never allow my living to let me get in that condition, the poor man would be a good candidate for bypass surgery in our time. I suppose he will die of a heart attack someday. At least I hope he goes quietly in his sleep.” He looked at her bent head and saw she was studying his hands. He curled them tighter into her hand and whispered, “Penny for your thoughts.”

She glanced up and smiled, “I was thinking how right this seemed. I was worried about our age I Gatlinburg, but here it does not matter, we seemed to be living from one breath away from death to the next breath.” He found that very profound and was somewhat taken aback by the fact she was going to let the difference in their age stand between what they felt for each other. He lifted his tankard and drank deeply then set it down and felt it was time to adjourn to their room.

“Come on, we need to go lay down, I don’t know about you but last night wore me out and I am glad we are going to have a couple of days to rest up before we are on the road again.” He helped her stand, dropped a couple of coppers on the table to tip the keep and walked her to the stairs, going up to their room, he backed her over to the bed, then gently pressed her down on the mattress.” His gaze was locked with hers and he saw the heightened color in her face. “Tonight we cuddle and just hold one another you don’t need anything more than to feel safe in my arms and I want to feel you in my arms.” He watched her face light up and she smiled.

“Thank you.” Her words were said with relief and sincerity because she was not sure she was able to be anything more than what she was at this time, and that was secure in his hold, if they had sex she was afraid she might flash back and it would be a horrible thing to happen and somehow he sensed that.

She glanced up and smiled, “I was thinking how right this seemed. I was worried about our age I Gatlinburg, but here it does not matter, we seemed to be living from one breath away from death to the next breath.” He found that very profound and was somewhat taken aback by the fact she was going to let the difference in their age stand between what they felt for each other. He lifted his tankard and drank deeply then set it down and felt it was time to adjourn to their room.

“Come on, we need to go lay down, I don’t know about you but last night wore me out and I am glad we are going to have a couple of days to rest up before we are on the road again.” He helped her stand, dropped a couple of coppers on the table to tip the keep and walked her to the stairs, going up to their room, he backed her over to the bed, then gently pressed her down on the mattress.” His gaze was locked with hers and he saw the heightened color in her face. “Tonight we cuddle and just hold one another you don’t need anything more than to feel safe in my arms and I want to feel you in my arms.” He watched her face light up and she smiled.

“Thank you.” Her words were said with relief and sincerity because she was not sure she was able to be anything more than what she was at this time, and that was secure in his hold, if they had sex she was afraid she might flash back and it would be a horrible thing to happen and somehow he sensed that. It was amazing how he knew her moods and felt what her essential needs were and was prepared to give her what she needed.

Leading her to her side of the bed, he drew back the covers and gently untied her over dress to let it drop to the floor and leave her dressed in her cotton shift. Gently sitting her down, he pulled her shoes from her feet and rolled her stockings down and laid them neatly on the chair. Pushing her back on the bed, he gently covered her. Walking to his side of the bed, he sat on the edge and pulled his leather jerkin off, slid his boots and stockings off and then slid his pants down and laid them neatly on the chair. Lying down he rolled over and gathered her close to him and felt her automatically scoot into him with her back to his chest, he held her and kissed the top of her head. “Cody?” She spoke softly and he glanced down to see she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

“Yes?” His warm breath against her neck, “You won’t lie to me will you?” She sounded sleepy and he wondered where this question had come from? “I mean if you knew something you would warn me or tell me wouldn’t you?” She was putting him with his back against the wall and he needed to think quickly.

“I would not keep anything from you that would intentionally causing you harm. If I knew something that would obviously benefit you and me I would tell you.” She relaxed in his hold and he relaxed knowing he had side stepped her question without harming her. At the back of his mind he still saw the image of the monster that sought her to make her his unholy bride.

She sighed deeply and he knew she was close to falling asleep, “Good because the fact I know there is some kind of monstrous unholy thing out there that wants to make me his bride scares the hell out of me. So if you find out something….” She yawned and he felt she was sliding off to sleep. She mumbled her last words and for that he was grateful because he could not tell her what she asked if he did not know what she had said. He waited for her to go into her deepest sleep and then he relaxed enough to fall asleep holding her close.

In that land that lies between awake and sleep, she saw herself dressed in a long white flowing gown of the purest form, she was running hard and fast through a series of hallways and through rooms until she was on the outside stairs and she was going up, to the top of the parapet, she could hear his footsteps gaining on her and she turned seeing him covered in blood and she looked down and her dress was covered in blood. She was terrified, “You will be mine Tatyana! You belong to me, not Sergei, I love you and you are mine!”

She turned to climb up on the ledge of the battlements and looked down, she could see the tree line to the river below, and she heard him scream “NO! NO TATYANA! NO! She had taken a step forward and felt him grab her from behind, and jerked her down into his strong arms, spinning her around he looked into her startled wide eyes. She saw them glow red and then his teeth were growing longer and longer and then he was biting her in the neck and she felt her life slowly being drained from her body. With one last push against him, she staggered back and pressed her body up and over the parapet and she was falling, she could feel the sensation of the air surrounding her body, her long dress flapping in the rushing wind and her hair pulled from her face flowing up and out and then there was the impact of the water as her body hit the cold waters of the river and she felt her breath knocked from her.

She gasped and her eyes fixed and she watched the light from above fade from her gaze as she sunk to the darkness of the cold river’s bottom. She sat up with a startled gasp and in tears. Cody held her close and spoke softly to her to calm her and guide her back down and in his arms to hold her secure against his chest. He kissed her forehead and spoke against her neck feathering gentle kisses along her earlobe and to her jawline and up to her cheek where he tasted her salty tears that were flowing down her cheeks. “I am here my dearest one, I am here no one can hurt you I will lay down my life before I let anyone or anything harm you.” He felt her calm in his hold and he waited for her to fall back asleep again. For the rest of the night he laid holding her, gently running his fingers through her hair and speaking words of reassurance until he could not hold his eyes open any longer.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 9

Ghadar River Inn Pre-dawn hours

He felt her twist in his arms and cling to him like a drowning person trying to hold on before going under. He opened his eyes and saw she was drenched in sweat and her neck was bloodied. Fear choked him; she had been attacked in her sleep. He lit the candle and looked at her neck and saw scratch marks, she must have clawed her own throat in her sleep. The dream was on her again and he needed to wake her up. “M’lar wake up. Wake up sweetheart, you are dreaming, wake up.” He shook her but her sleep was unnaturally deep and she would not open her eyes.

 

Castle in Darkon

Azalin smiled, he watched the pretty little thing next to the big ranger toss and turn and when he looked closer he saw why Strahd was so interest in her and her friend. He waved his hand and uttered another dream spell to send her deeper into the world that would be next to impossible to escape unless he released her. “That is right little one dream, see what awaits you when you reach Barovia and Castle Ravenloft, know what you will become and what he will do to your little friend the Ranger. The one that looks like Sergei.” He smiled as he unleashed his most vile and horrific dream into the inner recesses of her mind. M’lar saw it all in vivid detail. Lifting the smoldering pot of smoke he watched his magically formed spiders crawl up on the bed and cover her the first to arrive biting deep against her throat. He watched her swat the nasty insect and waited for them to leave her and crawl over on Cody and biting into him, to have him fall back into his own nightmare world.”

 

M’lar’s dream curse

M’lar could feel Cody wrapped close to her body and it made her feel secure, she curled into his side molding her body against his. They were on the flat bed boat Cody and she had been assigned to the first shift, the sun was setting and soon dusk would be upon them and their watch would be over. All seemed peaceful and she was tired. A huge dark shadow formed over the three flat boats. The screech of something large and winged flew overhead. Looking up Cody drew his sword; a gryphon circled overhead with what looked like a large black armored knight flying on his back. He appeared to be searching the cargo boats below.

M’lar shielded her eyes from the now setting sun and saw the bird flow low and directly for their boat, Cody shouted “Down!” He shoved her down as the huge beast nailed him with his claws curling his talons up to hold Cody tightly in its hold. M’lar whipped out her staff shouted, “Elongate six feet.” Twirling it she waited for the bird to come back again, Swinging hard she thwacked the bird’s legs and watched on talon open, Cody worked his arm loss reached for his knife and tried to stab into the bird’s leg tut he could not get a good short. M’lar ran up on the highest point of the boat’s cargo and took up position, flipping backwards as the other talon foot came at her, Once again she spun flipped and slammed the staff into the claw that held Cody. The other claw released and dropped Cody into the water.

M’lar turned and started to dive into the river to get Cody when she felt the back of her jerkin snagged by something not the bird but the knight he had leaned over and reached and grabbed her and hauled her up in front of him, using his fist he hit her and she went out. Cody watched anxiously from the river as the Gryphon flew off towards the north and the darkest part of this ruthless land called Barovia. Cody swam back to the flat boat and was helped aboard by the other mercenaries assigned to that particular boat. Scrambling up he laid on the deck and caught his breath. “She is gone for sure, that was the first black knight of castle Ravenloft. The Dark lord wants her now, let her go man.” That was Serein; he was the first to say what was on Cody’s mind.

“I can’t do that.” He sat up and sighed, he needed to get out of his leathers and dry them to keep them from shrinking. “Once we make land fall I am off to find that dark lord and make him eat something silver.” Cody grumbled as he sloshed back to his and M’lar’s area. M’lar lay slumped in the arms of the dark knight had been awake would have been struck with fear being held by a death knight. His fear factor turned up high any within a ten foot radius would have been frozen with fear.

Landing the huge bird on the roof of Castle Ravenloft he jumped down and threw her body over his shoulder and marched into the tower stairs area, walking down to the throne room, he walked to Strahd and laid her at his feet. Strahd smiled, he stood and bent and gently ran his fingertips over her face. “PREPARE THE CHAPEL WE ARE HAVING A WEDDING!” The servants in the castle that were afraid to not do what their lord and master demanded. Strahd lifted her in his arms and walked to the room that had been Tatyana’s when she first arrived. He laid her on the bed and looked at her, dark hair but that did not matter, she was here with him and would be his bride before the night was over.

Patting her face he called to her softly, “My beloved, awaken, and join me in my new life where we shall live an eternity together.” His words were uttered with a tenderness rarely seen by those that served the dark lord, he watched and waited her wanted to see her eyes to know it was here, and when her long lashes fluttered and she opened her eyes he smiled, never before or again would he know that such eyes were possible to behold. Storm tossed and ever changing with the shift of her emotions. At this moment she was afraid, “Do not be afraid my love, you have come home.” He smiled and she could see the sharpness of his canines.

“Who are you?” She watched him frown not understanding her question or what she perceived was her questions. Then he smiled.

“Of course you would not remember, not right away. I am your lover, the man that had always loved you and will always love you and you are my Tatyana. My long lost love come back from the dead and to me.” He pressed his lips to her lips and found her mildly resistive to his attentions. Breaking the kiss he smiled and stroked her hair from her face. “It is all right I will give you time until you need to be brought over and become what I am.” He released her and walked to the window to peer out over the mist enshrouded grounds. “Do not leave this castle at night my dear. To do so, would be instant death I am not going allow that to happen again.”

M’lar found her life turned upside down and filled with confusion and a surreal feeling she was not living this life but was merely a participant. She was ushered off to be bathed, perfumed, dressed in a white gown, a gown that seemed vaguely familiar, her hair was dressed and she was now ready for a wedding. Her heart was pounding and she kept asking over and over for Cody to come and wake her up, this has to be a dream. The ceremony was held in the throne room, she walked on stiff legs that threaten to fold down a log red carpet to a man that stood at the end of the carpet with his hand held out and a smile on his lips, she hesitated and he frowned. “I said come Tatyana, come to me, look into my eyes and see only me.” M’lar did not want to come she felt her legs want to buckle and her world go into darkness to return instantaneously. Taking a deep breath she looked into those red glowing eyes and took a big breath shook her head.

“No, I can’t, I can’t do this, I can’t.” She turned and found her way blocked. Strahd forcefully marched down the throne steps to snag her arm and jerk her up to the throne with him and turn her and hold her against his hard cold body. “Let me go, I can’t do this!”

He pulled her next to him and rasped into her ear “Oh yes you can and here is why.” He looked up and nodded to the death knight at the door. Oleg turned and opened the door behind him and Cody was bound and trussed up with his arms wrapped over a pike, and tied in place he was shoved into the room and onto the floor. “If you do not marry me this day, Sergei is going to die in front of you this time. You will marry me, and I will allow him to live. Deny me this wedding and you can watch him die, I shall take you as you are and against your will and you will live with me willingly or unwillingly.”

Cody frowned looking up at M’lar, “Don’t do this M’lar let him do what he will to me, don’t do it willingly.” He felt the butt of Oleg’s hilt hit him. The deep spectral voice that was cold as death and deep as any ocean they had seen or crossed spoke

“Silence Pig.” M’lar started forward and felt her body thrust back against Strahd’s, he held her in an iron grip, and M’lar turned with tears edging her eyes.

“Don’t hurt him, let him go. If I marry you, you will let him go?” She was now bargaining she felt with the devil himself for Cody’s life, he was way too young to die.

Strahd smiled, “I will let him live, he will earn his freedom in the pits for our entertainment.” He whispered against her ear and could smell her fear and hear her blood running through her veins, he could see her terror at loosing this creature that bore such a strong resemblance to Sergei, his hatred for Sergei was as strong today as it was five hundred years ago.

Lifting her chin she looked from Cody to Strahd and nodded, then let him live, I will do as you ask.” She watched him smile and lift her hand to his cold lips.

“You will not regret this my love, bring him Oleg, so he can watch us be married.” Strahd looked triumphantly over M’lar’s shoulder and waited for Cody to be brought to the front so he could witness this unholy alliance. Oleg lifted Cody with one fisted hand and carried him to the front of the room and unceremoniously thrust him onto a stool, lifting his chin he forced him to look upon the wedding that was now continuing.

The priests stood looking like warmed over death, white as his robes trimmed in red, he intoned the words and waited for Strahd to answer which is did readily, then he intoned the words and waited for M’lar to repeat them and Cody could tell her throat was dry and she was sick to her stomach and she hesitated as Strahd looked on sternly. The vows were said and then the party began.

Cody was taken from the room and lead to the dungeon where he was secured in a man catcher. Dangling over a pit of viperous snakes that slithered and hissed below him. Cody scrunched back and waited for the container to quit moving and he waited to see what would happen next.

M’lar was seated to Strahd’s right while his unholy court lined the rest of the table. She ate very little and kept looking to the location that she last Cody disappeared with the help of the death knight Oleg. Halfway through dinner, Strahd stood, extended his hand to M’lar. With trepidation and fear she laid her small hand in his and allowed him to help her to stand. She had resisted a little and he jerked her to a standing position. He lifted her from her feet and carried her from the room and down the hallway and into a large chamber that was his bedroom. Dropping her on the bed, she bounced and then settled and she wanted to run from the room.

He had read her thoughts, smiled, turned and locked the door placing the key in his jacket. “Undress.” He ordered and she swallowed hard, stood from the bed, and slowly began to slide her gown off her shoulders. His patience was growing thin he walked to her in two steps grabbed the front of her bodice ripping her gown away to expose her near naked body, throwing her down on the bed, he trapped her beneath him and held her gaze. “For your Ranger that thing that looks like Sergei if you don’t want me to feed him to the pit vipers you will be my wife in more than just words and gesture.” He captured her lips forcing her mouth apart and plundering her mouth, she could feel the sharp teeth bite into her lips and then her neck, she felt his tongue on her neck, he was poised to enter her and when he did he bit into her neck.”

He held her so she could not flinch or pull away causing her throat to be ripped open. He drank enough to get her under control and then he made love to her slowly with precision and with care. He savored every moment in her body, of and on her body. He thought of Cody in the dungeon and he smiled when he reached his climax, he should have brought him up to watch him take her as he just had. No he would wait and have Cody watch him bring her over, watch him drain her body to the point of no return and then have her drink from him, to bring her as his eternal mate. That would be a fitting punishment.

 

Cody’s nightmare

Cody’s nightmare had almost mirrored M’lar’s except when the time came for him to earn his freedom he had watch Strahd bring M’lar over to his dark world, to watch him drain her and then force her with her dying breaths to drink from him. He had to watch her die and then when it was over and he had screamed out in frustration and fear for M’lar he was locked in a room with M’lar, when she awoke she would be filled with a driving need, a need to feed and he would be there. He had to fight his way out of that room and take her with him and have her reverted to resurrect her, he would not allow her to have to make that decision as to whether or not she would take his life, he knew in her right mind it would be the death of who she was. It was at this point in his dream curse where he felt a nudge from his own reality, something was pressing against his mind trying to help him out of this very potent spell that had him held in its grip. Struggling to the consciousness he sat up with a startled gasp. Turning he saw she was lying so stiff and now her eyes were wide and fixed. Looking around he found the dead spider, scooping it off the bed with a cloth he carried it to the fire and looked at it.

“It has to be poisons holding her in this catatonic state.” He muttered turned and dressed quickly. Going out of their door he rushed down the stairs and to the Innkeeper. “I need a wizard or a priest, do know where I can find a healer?”

The Innkeeper looked around nervously then leaned forward his voice was soft and he seemed very paranoid. “Me maw is a priestess but we don’t talk about priests around here, the lord of the land has them arrested and put on trial so we say she is an herbalist, why do you need one?”

Cody looked concerned, my friend is very ill and I think she was poisoned. I need someone that can help me neutralize it and bring her out of this state she is in, she is just laying there looking off into the distant, she is breathing but she is not aware.”

The Innkeeper frowned, “Go to your room and I will bring my mother to your room.” He disappeared into the back part of the inn and Cody went up to his room and sat on the edge of the bed, holding M’lar’s hand. He looked at her face and her eyes were fixed and unseeing. The door opened and the Innkeeper escorted an older woman into the room and she wrinkled her nose and hissed.

“Bad medicine from another wicked one. Was she bitten by a red spider with black spots?” Cody nodded and she grunted walked forward and placed her fingertips on her head and began to chant softly, the last words he heard was “Neutralize poison.” She watched M’lar’s eyes and they cleared, her lashes fluttered shut and then opened. She nodded. “She needs to rest, she will not have the bad magic on her again, but you two need to get you an amulet of protection against evil. See me before you go it will be three gold a piece.” She turns and hobbled out of the room. Cody reached into his jacket and handed the Innkeeper two silvers.

“For your mother and her work on my friend. Thank you.” He watched the Innkeeper smile and pocket the money and walk out closing the door behind him. Cody sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her face, she sat up with a start and looked at him her eyes wide with fear and shame.  
“Cody hold me, hold me tight, there is a monster out there that wants me as his bride!” She was shaking so badly. To try and calm her he joked, with her.

“So now you think I am a monster?” He pushed her back lifted her chin and looked deeply into her stunned gaze, “I would love to have you as my bride, and if we ever get back to Gatlinburg and we have a chance to know each other outside this realm and these circumstances maybe I will be the one to go on bended knee,” He went on bended knee, “Take your hand, like this.” He took her hand and gently laid a kiss on her palm then on her fingertips. “Look into your eyes.” He looked deep into her gaze and smiled, and say, “Juliana, I love you will you marry me.” He watched her smile hearing those words and she sighed deeply.

“A thousand years ago, I would have hoped to hear someone as sweet as you say those words to me. I would have loved to have you hold me and tell me how much you love me, but we have come so far in this mess and I am afraid to love,” she stroked his cheek and looked deeply into his eyes. “Paul, I am so afraid to love. If I were to love again I would hope it would be with someone just like you and I would take those hands.” She cupped his hand, drew them to her lips, kissing his palm and then each of his fingertips. “I would say to you yes, I would be honored to be your wife. But here we are M’lar and Cody and here we need to stay focus and not confuse out situation with things like love. Not now, not this day it is the wrong time and the wrong place for us to decide anything so serious. Let us live as we have share with each other as we have and then if we get back let’s try this in a normal way so that we can find out what we hate, what we love and what we share an interest.” She was still hung up on their age differences. She knew it and he sensed it. Rising up he pushed her back on the bed and smiled.

“You need to rest and this is a subject left for later argument. Sleep peacefully while I go get us some amulets.” He covered her body kissed her lightly on her lips and went in search of amulets so they would never have to live through another night like last night.

 

Darkon Hold

Azalin Rex screamed out in frustration he had broken his spell and he was livid. He turned and walked back to his spell book he was going to make Strahd pay and if he could not attack him through the woman of his dreams, and he could not break her through her dreams he would find another way. Walking from his lab he headed for the one place he needed to be at this time. It was his library, where he would look through his numerous books for ways to allowing him to escape this world. The Grand Conjunction was upon them and he was not about to lose his one chance to get out of Barovia and the dark shadows of Castle Ravenloft.

Entering his library he walked to the row of books and smiled, pulling out the family history of Strahd he thumbed the pages and it opened to the portrait of Princess Tatyana. He looked down at her and sighed, He was a lich he could not love but she would make a fine specimen for him to entertain and possibly steal her soul so that he would hold his beloved captive for ages to come in a phylactery so she could never be reborn again.

Azalin ran his finger over the picture of Tatyana. He studied her face and her eyes and he found her eyes were the most fascinating part of her. She stared at him accusingly, in that demure white wedding dress of purity of which she was. This Tatyana was not so demure she was a fighter; she was filled with the spirit he knew she would have developed under Sergei’s guidance and tutelage after their wedding. This was a mature Tatyana who was determined to not be with Strahd and with her Sergei, but he was not so sure he wanted her with this Sergei or Strahd, he wanted her with him in his Hold, the fact if he had her here, he could easily manipulate Strahd would make his life miserable he might even have a chance to kill Strahd.

Laying the book on the table at his side, he stood and walked to the window and looked out over his holdings. There was a lot to consider and the first of which was to keep Strahd from sending Oleg and his gryphon to collect M’lar from that boat. Perhaps he needed to send his own mercenaries to guard her until they were close to his hold and the he could have his mercenaries bring her to him. He smiled thinking about this, this would be the most profound way to make sure that Strahd suffered, deny him the one and only thing he wanted. Tatyana.

 

Ghadar River Inn

Cody entered the room to find her sleeping soundly, he held the two amulets in his hand and sighed, walking to the bed, and he gently slipped it over her head and laid it gently on her breasts. Slipping his amulet on, he could feel the warmth and power of the item. Tucking it under his jerkin, he looked around the room and then back at M’lar. Shrugging he decided her might as well lay down with her and hold her so she would feel safe and secure in his arms. He wanted to think about their earlier conversation. He had in an offhanded way told her he would marry her and she had not readily jumped at the idea, he wondered why.

Sliding off his jerkin, he felt the amulet thump against his chest. Tucking it under his nightshirt, he slipped his pants off and crawled under the blankets and smiled, she had rolled over and huddled close to his body laying her head on his chest and allowing him to put his arm around her. She threw her leg over his leg and buried her nose into his side. He smiled she had sighed softly and relaxed in her sleep. Closing his eyes he allowed his thoughts to wander and he was soon asleep holding her close and his only desire was to keep her safe.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 10

Gandar River Inn

Cody returns to the Inn from securing them passage and positions on one of the three flat boats going up river, slipping quietly into the room, he glances over and for a moment sees the bed is empty and a panic hits him. He does not see M’lar sleeping, as she should be in that bed, “M’lar?” he walks to the bedside lamp and lights it. The bed is made and she is nowhere to be found. Turning he rushes to the door and nearly plows her over. Reaching out to steady her and to balance himself he looks and sees her hair is wet and she smells clean and is wearing a light gown of mint green. “Oh my god! Where were you?” He does not mean for his voice to sound so harsh but his fear makes him sound raspy and condemning and immediately he sees her shrink at his harsh words. Then realized he was shaking her. “Sorry,” He apologizes but the damage is done he has frightened her.

“I went to bathe, I smelled so bad and I did not have the strength to cantrip myself clean so I went to shower.” She pushes past him rubbing her arms. “I did not mean to upset you, it is I don’t need to use magic right now for mundane things and I felt the shower would restore me to myself.” She mumbles softly and rubs her arms where he held her tightly. She sits on the edge of the bed. “I hate this place and I hate what it’s doing to us.” She turns her eyes filled with hurt and condemnation over his rough treatment of her. He steps to her side and sits down next to her and gently he takes her hand into his and notices how small her hands are compared to his. He lifts them and lightly kissed her fingertips.

“Then we fight twice as hard to not let it affect us, and I am sorry, I opened the door you were gone and well I over reacted to you not being here in this room. I am so sorry can you forgive me? I really did not mean to hurt you.” He takes his free hand and lifts her chin to peer deep in her eyes. “I would feel horrible if I thought you were angry with me dearest M’lar.” He smiles to take any edge from his own concern over her melancholy that she seems to be displaying. Then he sees her amulet is gone. “Where is your amulet?”

She lifts the clothing in her arms and finds the amulet. “It fell off in the shower I was going to put it on when I got back to the room. I am sorry.” Again there is that tone to her voice that alerted him that she might be under attack by the dark lord or something else. Reaching for the amulet he gently slid it over her head and rested it around her neck adjusting the weight of the amulet to the center of her cleavage.

“Not a problem sweetie, you just need to remember the minute it comes off put it back on it protects you from evil.” He smiled and kissed her lightly on her nose. “Are you hungry? I have ordered supper to be served to our room so you don’t have to dress, and I thought perhaps if you were feeling better tomorrow we could do a little shopping before we take the next leg of our journey. “He twisted to the back part of the bed. Pulling the map from his jerkin top he rolled it out, and glanced up to see she was looking at the map, her whole demeanor had changed dramatically. She was alert and attentive; she took her ink-stained fingertip and poked the map.

“We are here, and this is where the flatboats are going?” She looked up to see if she was right waiting for him to shake his head. He nodded and she smiled and looked at the map as her eyes slid over the map she became withdrawn and her followed where her gaze was resting and he saw it too. “Do you think the dreams were a fore telling of what is ahead of us?” Her voice was so soft he had to lean close to her to hear what she was saying and he captured her gaze and smiled.

“It was a dream M’lar only a dream. We will be prepared for anything on this trip we know that we are at least a month away from there, so don’t let it frighten you, if we have to we will cut across and go through Kuezk and from there we will back track and travel down to and through the Luna River here.” He traced his finger down the river from the city of Kuezk and then showed her how they would back track, we can avoid Barovia and just stay to the rivers and keep to the woods until we get to the Balinok Mountains.” He smiled to reassure her of his plan and she nodded slowly.

“Good ground cover, and we stay to the river we will have a good water source.” He smiled liking the way she was thinking and with each passing minute with her amulet back in place she was becoming more her own cheerful self. “I just think we keep to the woods it would make it hard for any dragon or gryphon to try to attack us.” She looked up to see what and why she was thinking this way and he smiled with a short nod.

“My thoughts exactly.” He leans over and places a light kiss on her lips. “Now, after dinner I say we take a little walk buy a few personal supplies and then come back here and just enjoy one another. Tomorrow we can finish up out shopping go to bed early since they will be leaving at first light. I want to be fresh since we will be traveling with what I think are mercs.” He watches her consider his words, the way she lifts her heads, sets her chin and then looks at him without hesitation and that small smile that edges her lips.

“Okay.”

The dinner was served and they ate, she ate less than he had because she was still queasy from the poison that was being flushed out of her system, she drank more water than he did and he was glad to see this reaction. She needed to drink lots of fluids. So encouraging her by refilling her tankard he teases. “You will be floating out of here when we go for our stroll.” She chuckles and nods.

“I suppose so but I am thirsty. So may I have some more please?” she held out her cup and waited for him to fill it with the cool water carafe. She watched the water flow into her cup and drew it to her lips and drank it down and he was amazed at the amount of water she could drink in one breath.

“Slow down dear you will get sick.” He chided her and watched her smile at him over the top of her tankard. Taking one last swallow she burped, and laughed.

“Not bad manners just good water and air on my stomach.” He chuckled and shook his head.

“Will I be able to take you out in public with such horrid manners?”

“I don’t know I guess we can try just be glad I did not fart now that would have been bad.” She watched his face flood with red and he laughed and shook his head.

“You are impossible my dear ladies do not fart. They poot.” She laughed and shook her head. And sighed.

“Ladies do fart they just do it in private. Now, shall we finish dinner and go check out this town?” She nibbled a little longer on her meal and finally pushed it away and looked at the room. “We better take our bags of holding in case someone gets nosey and tries to go through out things in the room, I plan to leave them a pair of dirty socks, what about you?” He could see she was back to her usual self and he relaxed.

“My dirty under ware.” He joked and watched her bend over in laughter, and shook her head.

“Who is being impossible now eeeww can I say eeeww leave them one of your dirty socks and I will leave them my dirty under ware then they can sniff them and get distracted. Then we can beat them up and throw them out the widow!” She was back and he could relax his M’lar was back and then he caught himself, he just thought of her as his M’lar. Maybe his feelings did go deeper than even he was willing to admit. He waited for her to change and when she stepped out wearing a light green dress with bell sleeves and flowing A lines to the ground he smiled, she really did look the part of a lady of respectable means and a beauty that belonged on his arm. Extending his arm he smiled.

“Malady this way if you will the evening awaits and the moon is high and the stars are out and the time is ours to spend as we see fit.” He watched her grab her bag of holding and then walk to hook her arm around his arm and followed him out of the bedroom door.

“I am surprised you did not say my lady’s carriage awaits.” The night air was cool but not cold and she hugged his arm tightly as they strolled along the streets of the large river city. Her gaze shifting over the area with the thought at the back of her mind that they were being watched, Cody guided her down to the river’s docks and showed her the boats they would be guarding, she studied them and found them oddly familiar to what she had seen as barges on the Ohio when she was home. Sighing she nodded and smiled. “So which one is ours?” Multan stepped up next to them. He was a tall man with cold appraising black eyes he looked at Cody and noted he was one of the new hires.

 

Port-docks of River City Gandar

“You Cody?” He growled in his barking deep voice. He eyed M’lar and dismissed her easily enough in her dress and hugging to the man.

Cody stuck out his hand and nodded. “Yes, I am and this is my partner M’lar.” He looked at M’lar and snorted and then to Cody.

“You are a damn fool to bring a woman on this trip she dies it’s on your heed.” He was rude and to the point and he felt M’lar stiffen and she narrowed her eyes.

“You don’t think I can handle this trip?” She accused him and puffed her chest up and glared at him. He looked at her with a derisive snort.

“Nope think you soft and you are a hindrance to this trip.” M’lar shoved her back into Cody’s arms.

“Hold this, come on big fella take a shot at me.” She squared her shoulders looked at him and waited controlling her breathing. He snorted swung she sidestepped him lifted her foot and plowed it into his chest knocking him back on his ass. Not giving him a chance to recover she was on his chest and locking her arm around his neck taking him into a choke hold. She watched him go out like a light and then stood up, walked to a bucket dipped it into the river water and then came back and dumped it on him. He sat up with a start and grumbled.

“What the hell!” He shook the water out of his hair and she moved her fingers and cantriped him dry. “Holy shit, no one said you were a priestess. My pardons ma’am.” He stood and bowed to her and showed some new respect. She snorted this time flipped her hair over her shoulder and glared.

“Before you make assumptions maybe you need to get the facts first.” She grabbed her bag and turned to walk back to where they were before Multan interrupted them. “Now which is our boat?” She glared at Multan who contritely lowered his chin and looked at her with an apology.

“The middle one ma’am and may I say what an honor it will be to have you on this trip. He was almost reverent and looked at her hands and blushed deeper, “Denier or Oghma?” He asked softly. She looked at him and sighed.

“Oghma.” She looked around nervously and hen noticed him look too and nod. “We don’t tell anyone that because the inn keeper said that they try priests in Barovia and we don’t want to bring attention to me.” She stood stiff and defensive with Cody towering over her protectively.

“Look the last batch of losers that came with us on this last trip got mad at me for firing their sasses for not doing their jobs. To pay me back they were going to rape her . . . “Cody reflectively tensed when he saw Multan fold his hand into a fist and his jaw locked and he looked very fierce.

“What happened to them? Are they dead?” Multan was glaring looking around as if they might appear at any moment to attack them.

Cody nodded, “Yep very dead.” He felt M’lar sidle up close to him and looked blankly over the river. “We did not do it, something inhuman attacked them and tried to take her with them.”

In a soft voice she spoke softly, “A hag and a vampire attacked them and ripped them to pieces. It took me two days to get the blood off of me. Then Cody finished the hag and sent a message to the one that sent them to leave us alone.” She glanced to Multan and waited for him to respond. He had gotten this very thoughtful look.

“You are she aren’t you?” He asked and his voice was extremely soft. He turned and really looked at her and he could tell by the color of her eyes and the shape of her face and the outline of her figure she was the missing Princess Tatyana and he sighed softly. “How did you become a priestess and why are you heading back to the very land you are trying to avoid?”

M’lar looked at Cody and then to Multan, “Because we need to find a wizen one called Elrod, he is going to get us back to where we belong and it sure as hell is not here.” Cody wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders and hugged her close.

“We just want to get home and not hurt anyone but those losers were sleeping and there were nine bandits that tried to take the shipment we were protecting and they were supposed to be guarding too. All we wanted was a little coin, do the job, get everyone there safely and find this Elrod.” M’lar stepped away from Cody and faced Multan.

“We are here to do a job, I can handle my job and not be a burden for anyone but myself. Cody is a good Ranger and he can track and he can fight, so we are here to be equals with everyone not any more or less. Yes, for some reason this dark lord thinks I am his long lost love. I am not, I am a priestess and someone he would despise otherwise, we will not cause problems we will make our delivery with you, if at any time it appears we could cause problems we will have you set us off on the land and make our way to where we need to go without any further interruption to your plans. This I vow on my honor as a lore giver of Oghma.”

Multan smiled. “Not to worry little one we will be your escort once we are done with this job, we know the area you are going and there is coin to be made. So we will join you on your quest to find this wizen one called Elrod.” He spit in his hand and held it out and M’lar spit in hers and held it out and he was surprised by how tightly she could grip his hand and he smiled. “It will be an honor to take you with us.”

 

Gandar Town Proper

Cody walked her along the streets going to the various shops buying their supplies. While they were in one shop Cody paid the extra silvers for three bound books with blank pages, she watched him purchase the books and smiled, she did not have the heart to tell him her ink well, Vlad had given her was an endless inkwell as a gift of her god. She bought a few trinkets for binding her hair and a brush something she missed. "Why those Cody?" She asked and nodded to the three bound books he was shoving into his bag of holding.

He looked at her with a face that was without emotion and held to a strict seriousness. "One is for your spell book or whatever you need. The other two will be for us to keep a logbook of who we are and our adventure while we were here. If we do not make it home then someone can learn from what he did and use our successes and avoid our errors. With that they might make it home."

She nodded slowly, she had to admit it was a good idea and she could see the good of such a thing, what she was afraid to admit was they could fail, what he had just said out loud had been her one fear in this whole mess. Hearing it said out loud just allied her fears. Fear was nothing compared to what they were facing so she would have to fight their fears and this land if they wanted to get home. Taking a deep cleansing breath she looked ahead and smiled. “Wait here I will be right back! “Taking a moment to go up on tiptoes and kiss his nose. She skittered down the street to a milliner’s shop.

This brought a smile to Cody. There she was the girl, or woman he had crushed on she was finding her humor and becoming her normal carefree self again. He stood watching for her return while she went into the store. Looking around he saw that the streets were beginning to thin out because the sun was going down and he knew that nasty’s and mean things came out at night and he waited anxiously for her to return to him. While he waited and watched he allowed his mind to wander trying to figure out what had happened right before he asked her to dance. Why this body and his mind were now as one.

Brought out of his reverie he felt her bounce out of the shop and up to him, her eyes shining and excitement building in her with the wrapped package she had in her arm. "Thank you daddy for the prom dress." She jokingly chided him grabbing his bag of holding and shoving her package into his bag.

“Why don’t you use your own bag?” He looked at her with a serious look but his lips played with a smile as he spoke to her.

“Because yours is bigger and I will get it from you later.” She winked and hugged his arm close. He was feeling that she was relaxing in his company and becoming the flirt he remembered and he smiled bent and lightly kissed her lips.

“Yes, my lady, come its getting dark and time for us to get back to our room to rest up, tomorrow we will come back in the daylight and we will meet the rest of our crew the boat crew and the three merchants we are escorting.” He slid his arm around her shoulders and walked with her back to the inn.

 

Room at Gander Inn

M’lar took his bag of holding and pulled her package out and shoved it into her bag, then she walked to the bed and laid across it. “Do you want to go down and have a pint and then go to bed?” She rolled onto her back and looked up at the roughhewed ceiling and then noticed they must have made it back in time before the storm had hit. She rolled her head to the side to study him sitting at the desk writing in his ledger and she smiled noting how the firelight played with the highlights of his hair, and how young he looked sitting there hunkered over his ledger writing out his thoughts. She curbed the urge to get up and go over and brush her fingertips over his hair that kept falling over into his eyes.

“You need a haircut.” She remarked off handedly but she would do nothing to shorten that errant strand of hair that laid over his eyes and gave him that cute innocent look, it was his eyes that had arrested her study. They were wise eyes that held pain and fear and misery, much like hers had at one time. She folded her fingertips over her stomach and waited for him to finish. She heard him move his chair and knew he had stood up. “You know you need to let the ink dry before closing your book.” He held up the book to show her he had done just that left it open so he ink could dry.

“So does my lady wish a pint before bed?” He studied her laying on the bed on her back, the way her breasts wanted to slide to the side and her stomach flattened out and the way the firelight danced across her face to soften her look and make her look younger.

“Yes as a matter of fact the lady does and it will help me sleep better tonight.” He walked over to the bed. She lifted her hands and he curled his hands around her small ones and tugged her up. “Well then coma long then.” She stood and he swiped her butt in play and she giggled. Dashing to the door she winked at him then stuck her tongue out and darted down to the common room of the inn.

The common room was crowded with another caravan that had just arrived in town and the guards of that van had been pretty much in their cups for the day. M’lar and Cody sat quietly in the corner and when they got to loud, M’lar stood and took Cody’s hand. “Come on its too loud down here lets go to bed.” Holding his hand she lead him to the stairs when a giant hand came down on her hand holding Cody’s and separated them.

“Come on me love give us a kiss and sit ‘ere on old Gus’ leg, we will then talk about the first thing that pops up a-tween us. Besides you need a man to warm your loins and your bed tonight not a boy.”  
She saw Cody about to strike and she shook her head. “I can handle this.” She turned and smiled and then brought her knee up into his crotch doubling him over with a grunt. “ Think as for a man you cannot compare to him, as for getting something up, not going to happen tonight because you broke your pizzle now go nurse it and find a whore that will do your bedding and bidding. Unless you prefer sheep.” She turned hearing his friends laugh


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 11

Gandar River Inn

When his friends started to laugh at him. He snarled, "You little whore." She saw him move to pull back his hand to strike M’lar saw the strike coming from miles away. She twisted threw her foot up and hit him in the stomach, just as he was breathing out. This caused him to flinch and he was now in trouble of drawing a breath in. She watched him double over and fall. Straddling him she bent over and got real close to his face, her eyes locked to his eyes. “I think we just determined who the real man is here with that said; she took Cody’s hand again. “Come on my love. I need you to help keep my bed warm." Which brought about another round of laughter that filled the room.

Cody smiled noting the look of admiration in the other men’s eyes as they disappeared up the stairs and out of sight. Arriving back in their room, Cody turned and locked the door and he window, if he ever had any doubts as to whether or not she was getting her spirit back he had his answer. He watched her from the doorway while she slipped off the dress and stood in her chemise that barely covered the round of her butt. He thought she looked so lovely in the firelight but could tell she was preoccupied about something.

He walked to the table and sat down, pulling out his ledger he opened the book up and lifted the ink pen and began to write in his journal, he stretched his legs out under the desk and leaned back in his chair and stretched his arm to the desk top. M’lar watched him and smiled. He was determined to put down all the details of their misadventure. Rising she walked to him and began to massage his shoulders, leaning over she kissed his ear, whispering. "Come to bed and keep me warm my boy toy." Her tease was light and filled with mirth, he reached around grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap and she wiggled on it, wrapping her arms around his neck. Burying his nose into her breasts he chuckled.

"Whatever you say my cougar."

She lightly punched him in his chest and laughed. "You think I am a cougar?" She glanced down at his ledger noting he waited for the ink to dry and picked out one phrase. ‘The younger me.’ Something that she would be sure to addressed sometime later. However; it would not be this night. This night was for them and their time together and nothing would interrupt them if she could help it.

Laughing he stood with her in his arms and carried her to their bed, dropping her on the bed, he watched her bounce then dropped down over her catching the weight of his body with his hands before he smashed her. Looking into her serious looking gaze he smiled. "No, I think you are pussy cat that likes to lay around sleeping while others work. You just want this boy toy to pet. . . “He kissed her lips lightly “and feed you,” He kissed her lips again, then broke the kiss and smile, “but the most important part is you want this boy toy to play with you." He planted a deeper more passionate kiss on her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss trying to melt her body into his body. Then breaking the kiss she laughed and ran her fingertips up his cheek and tapped his nose. “If I am a pussy cat. What does that makes you the big bad wolf? Will you eat me up?” She laughed watching him think about her words.

That smile became a big knowing grin. "If you say so. But I think I did that last night or was it this morning?" She ran her hands down to his legs and around his firm butt and grabbed it with both hands and squeezed.

“I don’t remember can you reenact it for me?” She watched him push off of her and strip down and fall back on the bed beside her. She curled into his arms and laid her head on his chest. He stroked her long hair from her shoulder and looked at her from his position on the pillow tipping his chin down to study the fall of her lashes over her cheeks with her eyes closed and the lay of her hair over his arm and chest, it was like a blanket of satin. I struck him at that moment this felt right, this was what it was supposed to be like when you fell in love and you were married and you shared all of yourself with one another. This is what he had missed the most in his failed marriage. He had a part of him wanting to shout it out! That he was having feelings that were more than affection of the need to share their bodies. He was hiding his feelings he was beginning to have because he knew it was dangerous for either of them to go down that road.

She threw her leg over his leg and curled up on his chest and she played with the fine hairs on his chest and smiled. “You seemed to be in deep thought. Care to share?” Cody was embarrassed to say he had thought she looked sexy and was turning him on. He just wanted to cover her body and make love to her, to just enjoy one another and live in this moment and not let it go. He wanted to hold onto something that was real and given of her free will and his.

Rolling over on top of her he pinned her beneath his body and she felt secure in that position, her worry lines had soften, her eyes fixed to his and she lifted her fingertips to his brown and brushed his hair from his forehead. “I forgot to give you a haircut didn’t I? She smiled and he liked the way when she smiled the joy of that emotion and action went to her eyes and they sparkled with her feelings and shifted to a smoldering color of deep grey to green.

Lowering his lips to her lips he kissed her gently, and felt a shift in her she opened her mouth and demanded a deeper more passionate kiss, while she wiggled her legs apart to give him access to her most tender moist part. He shifted his sex and guided it in and felt only that momentary resistance that denoted she was tight and hot ready to meet his needs.

Cody was all over and in her. Tonight was about his needs and wants which were demanding to be met. His passion was passion was taking over his entire body causing him to burn with his passion. What made this night so complete with each other was she had returned his demand with her own and her needs and together they soared on the night’s calm and made it their own little world. Their portent of danger or the fact that they could easily be killed on the river never entered into the twilight of their passion when they finally felt the climax of their passion both feel apart covered in sweat and panting with the exertion of their efforts to block out all the bad that had happened to them both and just bathed in the afterglow of their own burning desires.

M’lar lifted her fingertips and cantriped their bodies clean and rolled into the sweet smell of him. She loved the manly odor he exuded and he smiled looking down at her curled into his arms. Clothing their eyes, they fell asleep. M’lar slept lightly and when he rolled over she rolled with him and then caught her image in the mirror. She sighed, she looked at her fading youth and his youth and wondered if that was why the man had attacked her and tried to pry her away from him earlier. Lifting her fingertips to her face she watched and smiled and closed her eyes, rolling onto her back she muttered a softly spell within her mind and fell asleep with the spell taking affect.

When daylight broke through the paned windows, she rubbed her fingertips over her hair and her face and yawned, Rising she noted that Cody had left already he must be finishing up getting their things together for the next leg of their journey. It was amazing feeling to have that extra burst of energy, to feel refreshed from a night of lovemaking and to have that youthful feel to her body again. The door opened and Cody stood in the doorway, he looked at her and his eyes grew wide. He nearly dropped the tray of food he had carried up for her to have breakfast in bed. “My … Great Aunt Hannah! M’lar what happened to you!” He smiled and studied the youthful appearance of her face and her body, her breasts were firm and full. Her waist was tiny and her hips were narrow.

She was confused, then turned and looked at herself in the mirror and laughed, flipping her hair over her shoulder she twisted sideways to look at her youthful self and she laughed again. “It worked! I did regeneration and it worked!” She bounced off the bed and bounded towards Cody who quickly set the tray down and caught her as she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Do you love me now?” She had not realized what she has said in her excitement.

“Yeah of course I do.” He played it off as a tease and she hugged him tightly. But in that moment he realized his true feelings had been revealed. Carrying her over to the bed he fell on top of her and began to kiss her and she laughed.

“I got tight boobs again! This is wonderful!” She laughed and watched them giggle for him, he grabbed one large breast in his hand and covered the taunt nipple with his lips and began to suck, and she wiggled and undid his pants. “I want that.” She ran her hands over his hard sex and spread her legs to guide him in her, he lifted her up and drove into her hard and together they began to move until they both were feeling the excitement of the climax about to come. She buried her head in his chest and shivered in his hold. “If nothing else and we die today we died knowing the feel of my youthful body together it was important to me you saw me as I was when I was your age Cody… now in bodies we are equal.”

The guilt washed over him. He still needed to tell her about the mind transference the time was just not right. He kissed her deeply, “Well at least I got to enjoy your new youthful body.” He smiled and set her down on the bed and smacked her butt. “Now get dressed we need to be down at the flat boats to get briefed. They need us both and Multan is going to introduce us to his crew.”

M’lar was filled with so much excitement and joy she giggled and grabbed her robe and exited their room running down the hallway to the shower. She loved how her boobs bounced when she ran and the fact she now had her flat stomach, narrow hips and waist back made her even happier, what she had not realized that she was just younger and tighter in spots that Cody had not noticed the little flaws she had worried about with her advancing age. Admiring her figure and her face she was happy, she knew she looked like she was twenty-three years old again. That was the same age as Cody and now she was equal with him and did not have to look like a cougar. Or have to worry about obnoxious barflies wanting to comment about her need for an older man with experience. As far as she was concerned she had that man and he was on her side.

Stepping from the shower, she grabbed her robe, pulled it on and rushed back to the room. She smiled watching Cody writing in his ledger, “Are you writing about the great sex too?” She teased him and he laughed looking up to grab some fruit from the bowl and nibble on it. Dressing she did not bother him further while he wrote out his thoughts and ideas. She hope his idea about someone finding them and learning from their examples to help them survive this unkind land was a flash in the pan. She thought if it went back with them, then they might be able to get it published and make some money off of their adventure.

She nibbled on the fruit plate and watched him work. She allowed her mind to travel back to when she first met him and saw him across the room. She knew that dressed, as they had been the three of them dressed like aliens with scanty clothing on had brought all attention in the room to them. In essence all straight male eyes in the room were on them or rather their boobs since that was what made them that more notable. They had played their parts to the fullest, warrior women demanding the attention and getting it. She smiled because he had stayed back and when she had asked him his name he had shyly said, “Paul.” Now here she was M’lar and he was Cody.

She said his name softy, “Cody.” He turned his head and saw her. “Juliana what happen to you?” She knew she caught him off guard for him to call her Juliana. She realized he was just now noticing the subtle differences in her and she smiled. Walking to him she lifted his chin with her fingertips and looked into his eyes. “Remember it is M’lar here Cody.” She said with a wicked grin. She was wearing her leathers and he noted that they hugged her exposing more of her figure and he was not sure if this was a good thing or not. Why had he not noticed how those leathers hugged her body and left little to the imagination as to what she would look like naked?’ He knew he was in trouble and he moaned inwardly.

 

Streets of Gondar River

Walking along the street to the various stores she stopped at an herbal shop to pick up some components for her spells, Cody kissed her lightly on her lips and assured her he would be right back. She smiled and nodded turning her attention back to the various healing herbs she would need on their trip. She knew he needed to go to the silversmith and the blacksmith and he would be back and they would be going to the flat boats.

He walked along the sidewalk looking at the various shops and found two he needed, the silver smith and the locksmith shop. At the silver smith he found two silver crosses one for him and one for her to wear. Plopping down the coins he stepped out and walked across the street to the locksmith. There he bought two lock pick sets. He hid one set in his boot. The backup set he shoved into his bag of holding. The nightmare they both had experienced had not left him and in truth had spooked him. It did not hurt to be prepared and stack the deck in his favor. At least that is how he felt.

When he got back to M’lar, he stepped into the room and smiled, He looked at her bent over the counter and looking at some trinkets, her fingers thrumming on the top of the case, the merchant was flirting with her and asking her to barter for the items she was admiring. Just a hint of what was about to come and here it was in front of him, he walked over and slid his arms around her waist and leaned over her shoulder to see what held her attention and he was touched it was a stiletto knife. “I want it for my boyfriend.” She smiled as he looked at her and she blushed. “How much?”

The merchant looked disappointed. “For you six coppers for him 1 silver. You are prettier than he is.” The merchant saw the look Cody shot him and then he winked as he said she was prettier than he was and he smiled.

“Here you go.” He slapped a silver down and the merchant took the knife out and wrapped it up handing it over to him.

“No harm intended sir.” He smiled watching M’lar lift a particularly pretty piece of material and smile. The merchant walked to her and lifted the piece of material and laid it over her hair and smiled. “It’s a perfect color for you.” He chucked her under the chin and walked back behind the counter. Cody could not help but tease her. “Going to buy out the shop my pet?”

She laughed, “I am your pet now.” She turned to peer up into his eyes filled with mischief and mirth.

“Yes you are.” Then he bent and stole a kiss. “I think we need to meet the rest of the team.” They left the market area and strolled to the docks. There they met the rest of the team. Multan introduced them to his crew, M’lar had recall for names and she looked over the crew of rough men that had been hired to guard the flat bloats. Multan divided up the teams so that Cody, M’lar, and Multan. Serkin Palo, and Arne, were in the center boat, He put Turon, Malak, Hanar, and Lamar on the rear boat while he assigned Grethor, Pankan, and Harker on the lead boat.

Laying out the map he began to show the course of the river and where they would dock for the night and then where they could resupply, and finally where they anticipated ambushes from the Intel they had already received. After formulating their plans and setting the time for departure they all decided to head back and have a drink and something to eat. Multan wanted the two newcomers to come with him to a nice little pub he had been staying in while they waited to move out. He assured them it would be the perfect time for them to get to know one another better and what was expected on this trip.

The day grew long and the shadows were upon them when they said their goodnights and went back to the Inn. M’lar prepared for bed, while Cody made notes in his journal, M’lar was packing her things watching him from the corner of her eye as she secured their things in their bags. She wanted to have easy access to her herbs if they were needed. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her amulet and smiled tucking it in her top she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes.

 

Castle Darkon

Azalin Rex watched through his glass of seeing and smiled, she had regenerated her body which only made her more attractive and more desirable, he could use her to get back at Strahd, he just needed to bide his time and then use their dreams against them, they might be prepared for the attack but at least he could keep them off balance enough to send his wraiths to try and steal her away. He knew that Cody might be a problem. He was prepared for that as well, he could always bet Brutus to make an appearance and send out his filed of fear so that it would stun them to be in his presence and she could then be taken.

This was going to be tricky for sure he just needed to bide his time let the get into the trip let the first ambush happen and then set another upon them when they were not expecting it. He would send Dargon, the dragon instead of the Gryphon. Dargon was a green dragon with lots of battle scars. He would be the best and he was evil, he could easily turn the boats over if he needed him to do so.

 

Castle Ravenloft

In his tower room, Strahd watches the two lovers together and he sees how much she looks like Tatyana. He scowls and then he feels a presence someone else is also watching them. Waving his hand he sees Azalin Rex watching them too and his scowls deepens. “Oh no you don’t Azalin, you are not going to ruin this too. I will see you dead this time if you interfere. “Andromeda!” He shouts and the rustling of an ancient looking man in long grey robes steps into the room.

“Yes Master?”

Ready the harpies and launch them on Aalen’s hold, after the harpies launch the trolls and the harbingers… I want him under attack with whatever we can launch over the next five days. I don’t want anything to interfere with those two making it to my realm. Got it?”

The old man nods and backs out of the room with a wickedly evil smile and turns to prepare to send the harpies first.” He slaps his wrinkled hands together, the castle will be alive again soon because the master has found his long lost love and she will come to lighten his mood.

Back at the room they called it a night and fell asleep in each other’s arms. Both of them want to try out her younger body but they both know they need to rest for the job tomorrow. While they sleep, Strahd sends a minion from his darkest recesses of his dungeon to fly to the town and follow them and then report back to him, he summons his hags and sends them to follow the fledgling vampire to make sure he does not soil the woman that will be his wife, he studies the features of the man that holds her in his arms and frowns. “No, Sergei not this time. You will not get Tatyana. Even if she did make herself younger for you, if I have to have her arrested and brought here I will but you will not have what is mine!” Snapping his fingers he gets the right idea.

“Felwin! Time to convene a tribunal. We will be having a holy one visiting the realm soon! I want her put on trial and brought to me, this will be one I will try myself.” He walks to the window to look out over the mist-shrouded grounds that show no life for miles. “He will follow her arrest and come to try and rescue her, and when he does I shall have him where I want him. I will give her an ultimatum, she can save his life, and hers if she marries me.” Felwin listened to the mad ravings of his master.

“And if she refuses?” Felwin was always the negative thought that had to be voiced.

“Then he dies. And she marries me anyway.” He said it so off-handedly. That Felwin knew he meant everything he had just said.

“So you want this woman, and you think she is Tatyana? And the man?”

“Sergei is back with her.” He grumbled and that was when Felwin knew what was at the crux of this obsession. Sergei had been reborn and he was threatening the happiness of Strahd. “So you wish her brought in under arrest the usual way?” He was bored and he wanted to start the paper work to have her arrested.

“No I do not want her beaten first, she is to be treated with respect but bound properly. I want her brought here and the ranger with her can be beaten and trussed up like a goose for cooking.” He smiled thinking of Sergei being bound and brought to him on a stick. He started to chuckle thinking about how he was interrupting Azalen’s plan and about to have what he had waited one hundred years to have and nothing was going to stop him now.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 12

Gander River Inn

Rolling over Cody felt for M’lar and sat up quickly realizing she was not in bed. “M’lar?” He sat up and pulled on his britches, and walked to the door and peered down at the shower, he saw the sign hanging on the door saying the shower was occupied so he grabbed his kit and padded down the hallway and leaned his ear against the door and was surprised, he heard her singing and her voice was like angels from on high. She was singing a son he had long loved and found it was fitting for the journey a head. He had known this song from one his mother would play for his father when he was alive and he really enjoyed the song. Knocking lightly he called. “Hey lets conserve water and we can share the shower!”

He heard her laugh and slip from the shower and come to the door, opening it he walked in and saw her standing in a towel. “Well come on lets hit the shower we don’t know when we will get to bathe again without water, I plan to keep us clean with cantrips.” He washed her back and she washed his and then they took turns drying each other off. Gathering up their wet things and dressing in their armor both of them returned to their room and began to gather up all their personal affects. M’lar left an extra silver in the room and smiled following Cody out the door.

Going down stairs they noticed that some of the rowdy crew from the night before were sleeping off their drunk and were now laying on tables, benches, and the floor some were snoring others rolling over to fart loudly to a muttered, “Damn something went and died.”

 

Streets of Gander

Walking to a quiet table they ate their breakfast of fresh fruit, cheese and bread. Cody paid for an extra round of cheese and some bread and packed it in his bag. Daylight had not broken, and night was almost a hint away to dawn. Stepping into the street to walk to the river, was when they heard a squeak and looked up to see a couple of bats darting in and out of the alley. "Strahd spies." She watched the bats move gracefully in and out of the darkening shadows.

Cody snorted, watching them. "I know. Let him come and take you. The gates of hell will open up to take note what to do at the end of time.” He bent over and kissed her nose. “When I come and to get you back." Cody said with a smile and a hint of a tease. He had hoped to get her to smile for him. However, for M’lar, there was no humor only a feeling that there was more truth to his statement than he realized.

Going to the sables, Cody tried to pay for the use of the stalls but was told that Mr. Basham had paid for the upkeep and refused to take any coins from Cody. Mounting up on their horses they rode to the docks. There they met up with the three merchants and the crew that had been hired to see to the safety of the cargo. M’lar took their horses and walked them to the shaded lien to and secured the horses to the barge while Cody got the day’s assignment.

As the sun broke through the clouds over head the barges were pushed off and the barge master, made sure all three barges were securely tied together so that all parties could walk from one barge to the next. The cargo had been loaded in crates that were stacked four high and three across from the barge house. M’lar had scrambled up to the top of the cargo and seated herself allocating herself as the lookout much as a mate would take to the crow’s nest.

The other two barges assigned one person to each barge so that three pairs of eyes could keep a close lookout for any problems from the shore. The others took turns walking the narrow pass from the edge of the decking to keep a close lookout for anyone attempting to board by swimming under water. Sitting her position she always kept a close eye on Cody who was working the flatboat like an old hand. She smiled noting at one point he had taken his kerchief and had tied it around his head to keep the sun off of his brainpan and the sweat out of his eyes. She thought how much like an old soul he appeared with his knowledge for one so young.

 

River Gander

They were about an hour out on the river keeping to the deepest channel when M’lar stood to slip off her jacket, the sun was hot on her and she was beginning to itch. Taking her jacket off she felt the cool breeze blow and cool her skin, she shifted and reached for a tie to pull up her hair. Glancing down at Cody she smiled watching him write in his diary, that was how she viewed it, he was keeping a diary while she kept a spell book. She thought he must be writing a lot in there. She was amused he did in some ways remind her of herself when she was a teen and kept her own diary, and would write her secret thoughts in her diary. Then one day her Aunt found her diary and read it out for everyone in the house.

She had been so ashamed and embarrassed she had refused to come out of her room for a week. She had even taken her dairy and burned it in the fire pit out back of her house. No one would make fun of her dreams ever again, because the next diary she kept she hide under the floorboards of her bedroom. She would get her diary out every night and write out her secret dreams for her and her alone so she would respect Cody his diary and his thoughts and he views for now. She would not violate that trust because she respected his need to record their journey. Besides she was not ready to see what he might have written about her and him.

At one point Grethor called to Cody to help him get the weapons in placed for an impending attack. Cody went readily leaving his book open to allow the ink to dry. M’lar climbed down from her perch to close his book and slide it into his bag of holding. Picking the book up she caught a couple of words, which caught her attention and a part of her only read the first few words. “How do I tell Juliana the truth?” A part of her was caught off balance and she slammed the book shut but a part of that statement began to niggle at her thoughts. "The truth about what?” Shoving the book into the bag of holding she crawled back up on her perch and sat there stewing over those few words. She should have known better than to look at even a portion of that book. There was no way she was going to read it until he gave her permission. So she sat and wondered what was the truth and that truth being?

They were now about two hours up stream when the alert was sent along the barges. “Get ready we are about to be attacked. Multan spoke softly next to her handing her the jacket she had shrugged out of. “We might put you on the lead barge as a distraction.” M’lar smiled, took her jack and laid it on the top crate, she tucked her top into her pants and she was striking with those large breasts now firmly outlined in her tank style top. Slipping her pants off, she now stood in a cut-off style of pants, with her boots up to her knees.

“Distraction enough?” She smiled noting that Multan was almost breathless looking at her in her skimpy clothing. She turned around for his inspection and heard him gulp.

“Well it’s distracting me and we are on the same side.” He laughed uneasily. M’lar nodded stepping across to the lead barge, she climbed up to the top of the cargo and stood like a water nymph guarding her precious cargo. Multan had told her that if they thought she was the only one on the barge they would show themselves fairly quickly. She heard splashes as six of the mercenaries dropped into the water and swam to shore. The mercenaries would come up behind the highwaymen and disarm them and dispatch them hopefully without any damage or loss to their crew.

She looked around to see Cody had taken up position on top of the middle of the barge house and was laying out his arrows and preparing to knock on arrow. Then the call came from the shore. “Halt and bear witness we claim this cargo on behalf of Lord Knowling!” She could hear the men whispering back and forth to each other. “Is that the only guard? She will fetch a good price in the slave markets.” M’lar began to chant softly, she was summoning her flame blade.

“We stop for no man!” She called and ducked as an arrow flew overhead. The first she knew was a warning shot. She waited but Cody was not about to let her put her life at stake, standing he began to rapid fire shoot his arrows at those that were visible while the mercenaries attacked them from the rear. One such poor hapless highwayman swung to the top of where M’lar stood and charged her when her flame blade shot forward from her hand. Side stepping him she turned and spilt him in half sending his body parts and a spray of blood over the crates. “I said we do not stop for no man!”

Once again, another bandit swung from the trees and began to drop on top of the barges; M’lar was side stepping blades and swinging back to find flesh burned with her flame blade. Serkin and Palo had jumped forward leaving Cody to cover the middle barge while they moved to assist M’lar with her six bandits that had boarded the barges. Seeing more about to swing onto the front barge, Cody stood and began to sniper the ones in the trees watching them fall to the river and float face down. Cody did not have time to make sure M’lar was doing well or not he had to keep firing while the six mercenaries attacked from behind slicing them from the trees. There at one time appeared to be too many of them but the battle was fierce and ongoing.

Arne, Palo, Serkin and Multan challenged any of the bandits that were unfortunate enough to make it to the barge. They formed a half circle around M’lar who covered their backs with her flaming blade. At one point one of the steersman was injured, Multan jumped to take over the steering while M’lar jumped to the man’s side and began to lay hands on him to heal his wounds. “Oghma grant thy unworthy servant thy healing power.” Her hands glowed and his wound closed. Standing just in time to side step a blade coming down on her shoulders, she tumbled backwards and kicked out to send the bandit into the river.

Once his position was revealed Cody turned his arrows on those that were on board the barges, picking them off with precision and accuracy. When it was all said and done they had managed to deplete the number of attacking highwaymen and were now safely away and ready to collect their crewmembers that had gone ashore. They were busy sweeping the decks of the dead or wounded, throwing the bodies from the barge, Cody started back down to the deck when he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes grew wide and he looked down an arrow was protruding though his chest. “Oh shit.” He muttered and fell forward knowing the arrow deeper into his body. Grethor called out, “MAN DOWN! WE NEED HELP!”

M’lar released her flame blade and scrambled down expecting the inured to be anyone else but Cody, seeing him laying there with blood bubbling out of his mouth she dropped down next to him, “Hold on baby, I am here, I can do this. Grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the kit she carried, she poured it over her hands and then stuck her finger into his wound and could feel the lung was sucking blood into and that the arrow was barbed. “Shit,” She muttered softly and worked the barb off the muscle and out of his chest, then placed her hands on him and began to chant softly, “Cure Serious Wounds.” She called out to her god to give her the power to heal this man. She was feeling weak and this would deplete her complete once she got him healed she prayed until she felt the sweat pop out on her forehead.

She could feel the wound begin to close and then shut and his lung to heal. In a matter of seconds he was healed but out. Falling back Multan caught her and lifted her from the floor and carried her to the barge house shouting over his shoulder. “Take Cody to the first wheel house and let him sleep there, Grethor cover his shift!” He laid M’lar on the pallet and waited for a moment then covered her, “Lass you did good today I would have you on my team any day. “ Walking out he looked around “anyone else hurt?” There were no other injuries but for the steersman and he would be fine in a couple of hours. “Serkin guard M’lar let no one near her got it?” He looked like he would bite off anyone’s head that thought to disturb the priestess while she got her strength back.

The sun was high and they had another six hours on the river before they made landfall and the next city to drop off one barge and one merchant. Multan did not need any more distractions so they went on high alert along the river with them being down two people. At least for this leg of the journey they would be fine until the next leg, which would be the day after tomorrow, which for Multan was good because that was the group of bandits that were more seasoned than this group. He just needed to get past each land baron with this cargo and then they would be fine.

The men were on edge, Cody was feeling like crap with his lung starting to draw air and not blood, he sat up and asked weakly, “Is M’lar okay?” He looked at Palo who was not ready to say one way or another Palo was busy watching the shore, Cody thumped his leg. “Hey I asked is M’lar okay?”

Palo looked down at him, “You look like shite… you know that Cody… your woman is fine, she is resting she used the last of her healing strength to heal you and then she has to sleep, she will be out for at least half a day to get some of her strength back. She is a real hell cat you know.” He said as his eyes scanned the shoreline. Cody smiled and closed his eyes, to him she was a kitten with claws and she could hold her own. He closed his eyes; he needed to rest so he could be there just in case Strahd’s minions showed up to take her away.

 

Dusk on the Gander River

Cody opened his eyes, he was sore and stiff but he was alive and he took a deep breath and sighed. His lung was healed and he could breathe with little or no pain, it was more his shoulder that was made and in a spasm with him lying immobile for a while. Getting up he worked his arm around and back and forth until he got the knot out from under his shoulder blade. Now he just needed to take a few deep breaths and find Multan. He needed to know where they anticipated the next attack and what was to be expected, and he needed to collect the arrows that had been pulled out of the dead or wounded. At least he felt comfortable that they had allowed the wounded to go ashore and be picked up by their partners to be taken back to whatever hellhole they had come from and Cody did not have to worry about them being killed unnecessarily.

Walking back to the wheelhouse that M’lar slept in he checked her, she looked pale and was breathing shallow, she was conserving her breath to heal herself faster is what he figured, which in fact she was in the throes of another nightmare only this one was from a dark castle called Ravenloft in a land called Barovia. A tribunal was trying her and they were about to pronounce sentence on her when the Dark lord Strahd appeared and offered her sanctuary in his house as his wife. She was determined to bide her time until Cody could find her. So she agreed to his offer. She had been lead away and locked in a room filled with rich clothing and jewelry in a case that sat on her dressing table. She had been told to dress for dinner that she would be collected when he was ready for her.

Pushing that dream away she fell into a deeper sleep to heal, while in that dream like state she kept hearing the call of the banshees, they were calling her name and it was not the name of M’lar but her real name and she was not about to answer them. Rolling onto her side she shoved that from her mind and completely closed her mind down to anything. Cody frowned watching her and realized she lost her amulet, taking his amulet from his neck he slipped over her head and left her to sleep, he needed to find her amulet. Walking around where he saw she had been fighting he looked down on the crates and saw the chain barely holding to the crates binding.

Reaching over he picked up the chain and pulled the amulet from the crate’s hold. Sliding the amulet over his head he crossed his ankles and sat Indian fashion on top of the crate and let the evening air cool his overheated body. He was determine to confess to her what had happened to him the night of the dance and let the chips fall where they may but now was just not the time then he remembered that he had left his diary open for the ink to dry when the barges were attacked. Walking back to M’lar he searched her bag and then saw his bag had been shoved in the corner, lifting the bag he opened the bag and fished out his ledger, she must have closed it and put it in his bag. He had to wonder if she had read his last entry.

He believed she did not have time to read the entry or to wonder what he had meant about the truth and hoped that when the time was right she would understand he was not crazy. He had no explanation for his predicament, all he knew was he held a trust in her and hoped she held the same trust in him. It would be a shame to have come this far only to find she was like his ex-wife. He pushed that idea from his mind. Everything about her had been the complete opposite of Shirley, the shrew. Even now he had to wonder what it was about Shirley that had attracted him to her to fall so totally head over heels in love with her. He had crushed so quickly on M’lar, she had been the unattainable and he had been so young and naïve.

She had made him laugh and she made him feel special, was that what attracted him to Shirley? He had wanted that dance and to get to know her so much better, so many of the guys that night had viewed her and her friends as nothing more than sexual toys that played with them but she did not do that to him, she had been polite, smiled and was interested in the things he had to say. She seemed to be genuinely interested in him as a person and not a potential conquest. In his mind he had built up this huge idealized version of them together and thought she had shown a spark of interest in him. His sister had teased him unmercifully and when he had finally gotten up the nerve to talk to her she was gone.

He had thought about her a lot that year afterwards and she did come back to summit but she came back with the man that would be her husband and he was left only to wonder what could have been. Now they had experienced it due to some kind of slip in the time transference continuum and he was damn if he would give in to this now. He would wait and when they had a real chance to sit down and just talk without worrying about dying he would explain what happened. He not only knew his future but he knew hers too. He was not so quickly to want to tell her about either of their futures together. He would just wait and see how she took his explanation of what had happened.

Goroth came up and sat next to him. “How you doing buddy?” He handed him over a piece of hardtack. Cody took the hard tack, and nodded, bit into it and wondered how they could eat this crap, it would break his teeth if he bit into it wrong. “You took a bad shot and the little lady brought you out of it, you nearly died, and she would not give up until she knew you were healed, I have never seen anyone pray that hard.”

Cody smiled and looked to the shore, “Yeah that is how she is, and she is a dedicated little thing. She is also proud of her breasts, she uses them for distraction.” He chuckled remembering a story she told one time about stopping a robbery by snapping open her top and exposing her breasts to the robber, he was so shocked he had dropped his gun and proposed to her. She laughed she said and still snap the handcuffs on him and began to read him his rights, when she got to the part that anything he says could be used against him he had shouted out the name on her badge and her name plate. She had laughed and led him to the car and brought him in.

When he told the Judge the next day that he was guilty but he would tell all if Officer that arrested him would show him her boobs one more time. The judge had slammed his gavel down and told the man to shut up and be seated, he had then turned to her and asked her what he meant by that. Cody said, “She just smiled and said, your honor it just happened my uniform tops button came off and I was a little indelicate for the apprehension.” The Judge then had asked the Deputy Prosecutor and the arresting officer to adjourn to his chambers. The prisoners were taken back to holding and they went to the chambers of the hearing judge.

The Judge looked at her and asked seriously, “Now care to explain your actions?” So she had told him, “Your honor, I have repeatedly asked for larger shirts and better buttons and I have been repeatedly denied any more uniforms other than the ones I own, so when I had wrestled with his partner, and two buttons were torn off, I went after him he pulled a weapon on me and was prepared to fire, and I threw out my chest and shouted halt, and the other buttons popped off and well, these are 42 C’s there is just so much material that can contain them.” Needless to say she had said, the Judge looked at her chest, the Deputy Prosecutor looked at her chest and the Judge said, “You can’t argue with that, Mr. Colson, see if you can get this woman some properly fitted uniform tops.”

She had laughed so hard that it had made Cody laugh too, it was one of the best stories he had heard in a while and they had fallen asleep in each other’s arms. Relaying that story to Grethor he saw he was chuckling with a rumble in his chest. “Ah can see how that would be a very good distraction with an armed brigand.” The rest of the trip to the first city and night was made in relative calm. The barges put in to dock and they decided to lay over the night and start fresh for the next day. At least now there were just two barges to protect with more men to cover two barges.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 13

Gander River a spot near

As the evening progressed, Cody had not seen M’lar and was growing concerned for her welfare, sliding off his perch, he stepped to the wheel house and saw she was still sound asleep. He was not going to bother her, he knew she needed to heal and the only way she could do that was to sleep. In sleep her health was restored and she had used a lot of energy to restore the steersman and him to full health, so now she had earned her sleep. Seeing she had been restless in her sleep and kicked her covers from her body, he bent to recover her tucking the blanket around her body and kissed her forehead. “Sleep beautiful, you earned it.” He gently stroked her cheek and brushed her hair from her face. Laying his wine skin next to her he whispered, “Rest well, my love.”

Turning he walked back to the cargo area and climbed to the top of the crates, slipping his jacket off he let the air cool his already over heated body. Watching the sun dip into the west, he sighed and laid back to cradle his head in his locked hands and watched the sky, the day was catching up with him and he closed his eyes and his sleep turned to his old life back in Tennessee. He wondered again how it was that he had found his forty three year old mind in his twenty three year old body. He then began to have a dream in which he needed to find a restroom to pee and all the places he went would not work for him, that is when he sat up and realize the pee dream was telling him to get up and go to the bathroom. Sitting up he stood and began to walk to the rear of the barge and relieved himself.

Turning he walked back and slipped down to check on M’lar. Something told him to use his move silent and stealth mode, his senses were on target, the minute he rounded the corner he saw what appeared to be a young man who was hovering above M’lar, he opened his mouth and Cody knew it was a creature of the night, a vampire was laying over M’lar and was about to bite her. Cody carefully removed his sword from the scabbard and with one fluid movement took off the head of the male vampire, his head flew up into the air and fell down next to M’lar the sound of it hitting the deck was a hallow sound of a cored pumpkin being smashed on the street. With the blood spurting out and to the wall, the spray of the blood had hit everywhere but M’lar and he smiled, he knew the amulet was working.

Bending over M’lar he checked her and was grateful she had slept through the whole sordid mess of his dispatching the minion he was sure had been sent by Strahd. Shifting the blanket over her body again, he turned to check to see what the Vampires body had hidden on it, only finding a few gold and some silvers he pocketed the coins, the picked up the body and walked to the rear of the flat boat and threw the body into the dark waters. It swirled and then sunk. Secretly he smiled watching it disappear into the murky waters of the river. Noting they had made land and was moored by a bank, the other mercs had set up a camp with a fire burning in a fire pit.

Walking back to the wheelhouse Cody bent and picked the head of the vampire up and carried it to the embankment. Jumping to the bank, he carried the head to the fire and threw it into the flames. He watched the hair catch and then the skin on the face curl and finally all that remained was the skull and as hot as that fire was burning he knew it would be gone by daylight. In the shadows another figure hovered and watched the dispatching of his fellow brethren of the night. He had watched Cody slip up on silent footfalls and take his friend’s head and then throw his body into the river like it was nothing more than fodder to feed the fish. He had shifted to mist and drifted to the trees overhead and watched his friends head take to the fire like it did to daylight.

The night creature watched Cody slip back on the boat and go to the wheelhouse he knew he was checking on the one that belonged to his master. Rurik was wrong in trying to take blood from the woman that would be the bride of his master. Unfortunately, he got what he deserved. Thankfully, when Cody checked again on M’lar he found she was in one of the deepest sleeps he had ever seen anyone could possibly achieve. Sliding down next to her body, he let his fingertips stroke her cheek and he smiled. “I am glad you were not awake to see that or even know how much danger you were in. That fang boy was going to use you as his meal.” He slide his leg under her head and drew her close to his body, at least if he stayed here with her he could protect her better. Cupping her cheek he stroked it with a tenderness that only he could give to her. “I should have asked you to dance, I should have taken your hand and pulled you onto the dance floor and we should have danced. Do you know how often I have thought about you over these past twenty years? After Shirley, I could only think of you and what might have happened and imagine my surprise to find you on line role playing a game I love.”

He was confessing his soul to her and she could not hear him, because she was in such a deep sleep that he felt safe to tell her how he felt. “I would die for you, I would have died for you tonight and I nearly died for you and this damn boat today. I am here because of you.” He bent over her and placed a light kiss on her lips and smiled watching her smile and she whispered softly, “I love you too Cody.” She shifted and fell back into a deep sleep. He shifted and got comfortable holding her in his arms and keeping her warmth close to him. Closing his eyes he fell asleep and began to dream about fang boy, fan boy, a life sucking being that needed another to drink their blood. There was very little difference between them. Both were a parasite that was the bane of this lands existence.

M’lar awoke with the feel of the sun on her face, she sat up feeling a hand on her rib cage, laying her fingers over the large hand and smiled. Letting her gaze travel down she looks at his large feet and smiled again, big feet big. . . She let her mind wander to the old saying and held back a giggle. Laying there next to him she let her mind travel back to the first time she had met him. Sighing she knew that was a whole lifetime ago. It was an effort of futility to compare him to that time and this time. She gently disengaged his hand from her side and stretched. Feeling grungy she cantriped her breath and body clean.

Turning, she gently opened his shirt to check where she had healed him to make sure he did not even have a scar and she smiled and closed his shirt. “If you need to me to take off my shirt all you need to do is ask." He smiled seeing her startled look and the slight flush of embarrassment.

"I thought you were asleep." She chuckled softly, and leaned over him. “How did you know I was awake?”

"You woke me when you changed your breathing from being asleep to awake. I felt it where my hand was on your ribs. And thank you for saving my life, I will repay you when we have time." He watched the emotions in the change of color of her eyes. She was thinking about what he had said. She could think of a dozen ways for him to repay her but this was not the time and this was not the place.

Leaning over she placed a light kiss on his lips and spoke softly against his lips. "I know you will. I just have to think of a way for you to pay your bill." Feeling his hand curve around her waist she giggled. “Hey this is not the time or the place. Besides, I have to fix food for the crew.” Leaning over him again and pressing into his body she whispers. “Next time please be careful in your next battle. You scared me this time and it was serious enough I was prepared to sacrifice my life to bring you back.”

He gripped her tightly; “Never give up your life for me. If I die here you continue on with our quest and . . . “She pressed two fingertips to his lips.

“Shh, I can survive it and then I can regenerate what I lose.” She rolled away from him and stood up then cantriped him clean and his breath and teeth clean. “When you are ready, join us on shore, I am going to fix breakfast.” She tripped over to the door and disappeared, he closed his eyes and sighed. How could one man be so lucky? Sitting up he grimaced and felt stiff and sore. He needed to get up and stretch and forage for them, they were getting close to the junction of Luna River and Zeidenburgh, this was one of the locations that another boat would be dropped off taking it down to one barge for Vallaki. That was when they had decided when the barge was dropped off they would double back on the river and take the Telis River to Mt Chakis to find this Wizen one.

But before another step was done or another mile traveled down this river, he needed to talk to Multan and tell him about the unwanted visitor that he had to take out the night before. So using the time that M’lar was preparing the breakfast meal, Cody walked to the barge where Multan was standing guard. Multan watched the young buck approach and smiled. “Hail and well met friend Cody, what brings you to my watch post?”

“Just a moment of your time to let you know what happened last night.” Cody sat on the edge of the crate next to Multan. He folded his legs one over the other and his arms over his chest. “Late last night I was sleeping on the crates overhead and I had to relieve myself and when I went to check on M’lar and found a vampire about to bite her, so I cut his head off threw the body in the river and then his head went into the camp fire.”

Multan frowned and looked with concern towards the woman that was bent over the large skillet and was preparing breakfast, stirring the eggs and cooking the strips of pork. She was amazingly in the process of making biscuits campfire style. Cody was surprised she knew how to do this. “Does she know about the attack, was she awake?” Multan spit into the river and looked around now feeling paranoid.

“No, I did not want to worry her. If you don’t mind, I will take the mid watch tonight. I think if they attack again that is when it will happen. I figure they will think that we are more vulnerable when we are nearly falling asleep and therefore unable to fight.”

Multan shook his head “Look I think you are right it makes sense. You have a fine lady there my lad. You better keep a good hold and tight eye over her, or I am afraid that Dark Master in Ravenloft Castle will have his new bride and there will not be a damn thing we can do about it.”

Cody thought about his words and smiled, “I know you are right and that is why I want the mid watch, I want to make sure she is protected. We are going to need her if any of us get hurt on that next leg of the journey near the Luna River fork.”

M’lar stood and pushed her hair from her face and called out, “Breakfast is served!” She waited to dish out the food to the crew with their plates being handed to her. She doled out eggs, bacon, gravy and biscuits and heard the mean were happy eating their breakfast. She fixed two more plates and delivered them to Cody and Multan standing by the barges.

“Multan accepted his food smiled, then glanced into her lovely face. “Did you eat?” Cody was eating her cooking and had to admit she was a good cook under the conditions she had been forced to provide a meal for everyone, he looked up and studied her waiting for her to answer Multan’s question.

M’lar having a God that forbade her to lie sighed and shook her head. “The men were hungry and they asked for seconds, I will know to fix more the next time.” She looked apologetically and saw Multan hand over his plate and she smiled and reached into her pocket and pulled out some berries. “Good berries, they are very nutritious and they fill me up.” She picked one of the berries up and nibbled on it and smiled. “My god gives me that power to turn a berry into a full meal.”

Cody could not see how that was possible but she did appear to be full and satisfied. They broke camp; Multan put M’lar on the top crate under cover of a sail and told her to rest. The crew gathered on the remaining items from the shore and pushed off and continued up river. The barges continued with no problems and a calm river for the rest of the day. However in the north there was a storm brewing and it appeared to be directed over the waterways and towards their barges.

 

Ravenloft Castle

Dusk was settling over the castle and from his crypt and coffin Stradh Van Zarovich rose to the news that Rurik had faced his end and it was not by daylight. Zaltan stood waiting for his master to come to the chamber of judgment. “He is dead?”

“Yes Master he could not control his need for blood and he tried to taste Tatyana. The Ranger killed him.” He waited for the anger to come. His master’s jaw had clinched and his fingers had curled into a fist. Turning faster than Zaltan felt the force and passion of his master’s anger as he slammed him into the wall and held him there, his eyes blazing red.

“You did nothing to stop him?” Strahd’s wrath was unforgiving.

“There is nothing I could do, he was superior to me. He ordered me to stay behind and he went to take her from the boat, I watched and wanted to stop him but the Ranger got to him first. I did the next best thing. I took control over one of the mercenaries on the barge he will send us messages as to where they are going and the best place to make our move and bring her here under arrest.”

Strahd released his minion. Letting him fall to the floor, “Leave me get out of my sight. You will release your control over the crew member to me later and allow me to manipulate his actions is that understood?” He spoke through his clinched teeth waiting for him to leave. Zaltan scrambled up from the floor and spoke softly.

“Yes Master.” He turned and hurried from the room. Shouting he called out, “RAHADIN! COME HERE MY OLD FRIEND!”

He knew that Rahdin was waiting outside of chambers and the dusk elf slipped silently into the room and bowed to his dark master. The grey skinned elf with green hair pulled back in braids, lifted his pointed chin and peered at Strahd with his black eyes the reflected the silver in the center of his eyes that matched the silver streaks of his hair . "Yes Lord Strahd?"

"Rahadin, I trust you to keep my Tatyana safe, you will watch over her and then you will strike with your men tomorrow night. Once you have secured her bring her to me. We have a wedding to prepare for and if the one that looks like Sergei dies then so be it. Just bring me Tatyana safe and secure is that understood?” He watched his friend and smiled seeing the slight nod of his head. Strahd watched him walk out the door and from his sight. He was incensed and then the courier came and whispered in his ear and once again, he was growing dark with anger and rage anytime he heard the name Azalin-Rex he saw darkness in his blind rage. Turning he walked to his scrying mirror and waved his hand over the mirror. “Show me.” He commanded and waited.

The Lich Azalin Rex’s façade was down when Strahd looked upon the grey skin stretched over his skeleton head. He was hideous and he smiled while he watched Azalin making his plans to take his Tatyana away from him. “Oh no you will not succeed this time Azalin, she belongs to me and you will not stop me from having my bride.”

 

River Gander

The second barge had been delivered to Zeidenburg. They now had one barge that would be taken to the Luna River and to Valaki their last stop and Multan wanted his men ready to face what was about to come. Complicating the issues was a woman he had come to respect and look up on as a sister was at risk the closer they got to Valtaki. So now Multan stood on the bank and he spoke to his crew. "Men,” Then realizing that M’lar was there he smiled and turned and bowed his head to her. “. . . my dear lady; we better turn in for the night. Tomorrow will be hard.”

He thought a moment how he would say the following and felt it was just best to said straight out. “The bandits running the part of the river where we leave Gander and meet up with Luna will be more tricky. We will be raveling thru a deeper part of the river and more places for ambushes. So I can assure you that tomorrow will be a lot trickier. We will not have the cover we had originally; we will need to defend from this single barge.”

Multan paced back and forth. “This next group of bandits are more experienced than the ones from yesterday. We will have a two man watch tonight just in case they try to move up their attack on us tonight.” Turning he caught Cody’s look and cold see he was upset and defensive, he smiled looking at M’lar. “M’lar you will not be on watch. We need you at rest in case we get hurt bad." Everyone looked at Cody and started to chuckle.

Cody dropped his chin slightly embarrassed and then he looked at M’lar and saw she was smiling and appreciating the jest but aware of his embarrassment. He could tell she was feeling sympathetic to his situation.

That night on the shore where the barge was moored, M’lar fixed a nice rabbit stew that Cody had shot earlier while they traveled down river. Grethor had watched him tie a line to one of his arrows and the men that were gathered near him had made fun of him wanting to hold onto his arrows. But Cody had paid them no heed he had taken aim and let his arrow fly true. When he felt the line tighten he jerked it and pulled it back with three rabbits attached to the line where the arrow had gone through them and snagged them with the line through their bodies.

Pulling the meat up from the river’s edge they were no longer laughing at his efforts and looked with a hint of admiration at the Ranger with a keen eye. They knew this night it would not be hard tack to eat it would be whatever M’lar could cook up for them. Cody after killing the rabbits had made an offering to the earth for providing them with the meal and prayed for the passing of the rabbits that would be their meal. M’lar had used the few potatoes and carrots and used what herbs she had brought with them. Making the stew delicious she had also prepared a campfire corn bread to go with the stew.

M’lar sat by the fire and Multan sat next to her scooping his second bowl. He turned to look at her and smiled. "I do not think you can come on any more jobs with me." His voice had been gently serious as he looked at her eating her stew and she stopped putting her spoon into the bowl.

“Why would you say that? Have I not proved myself as a capable fighter and an asset?” she looked at Cody ad he had a grin on his face and his eyes were twinkling.

Still stunned and shocked by his statement she waited for him to explain. “I think your skills as a fighter are exemplary, your skills for healing above reproach. However, it’s the way you are cooking.”

M’lar was shocked, “My cooking?” She was not sure she had heard him correctly. “But I thought the men liked my cooking that you liked my cooking. What has my cooking have to do with whether or not we can help you with further missions?” Then she heard the chuckling all around her. Multan’s men had gathered close to the fire and they were looking down at their bowls and then to their boss.

“Well if I kept you around with the way you have been cooking I would be so fat by the end of the job. That I would not be worth a hoot for a guard!" Then he joined the laughter of his men while he glanced over to see Cody’s face then back to the dawning realization on M’lar’s face that they were having her on with a joke. She began to laugh with them glancing to Cody who just shook his head with a wide grin.

Cody walked to her side and sat next to her. “You should have seen your face earlier, you were stunned I think.” M’lar leaned against him and buried her face against his shoulder and sighed deeply.

“You are worse than they are, you knew they were having a bit of sport with me too. I think your payment back to me for saving your ass is going to be higher than I previously had figured.” She smiled and he knew exactly what she was talking about and this caused him to blush.

“Well truth be told your cooking is so much better than I expected.” She snuggled close to him and sighed. “Then I suggest that tonight you and I find a place where we can exact that payment.” He blushed when she said this and knew that Multan had heard her. Ducking his chin he cleared his throat.

“Perhaps you are right.”

In the trees watching the group on the shore was Rahadin watched and waited, he could see it was Tatyana with darker hair but Tatyana nonetheless that belonged to his master.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 14

Along the Lunar River Banks

Cody was not easy with the sounds he heard and stopped M’lar from any further love play, he stood pulling his knife and she frowned watching him react to a sound she had not heard. Looking around she sighed and folded her legs up against her chest. “Come on Cody, I need you. Are you going to let a little wild life doing what they do interrupt what we were about to share?” She sounded annoyed but knew they were in a harsh environment and times that could spell danger for them both. She had to let him find out what it was and she figured he would see it was nothing more than a rabbit or another wild life critter doing whatever they did at night.

At that moment, Cody felt like that shy young man that first met her those years ago and was now having his second chance at being with her. However, his instincts were on target that was something big to make a snap like that he was not about to get caught with his pants down doing the deed when he could find a knife in his back or an arrow in her. Rolling away and coming to a standing position he took her hand and pulled her back to the barge. Heading back to the wheelhouse he sat down and was at least happy they had three walls and a pile of crates to protect them. Curling up on the floor he watched M’lar smile, and pull her top off and straddle him. She ran her fingers up and down his chest and leaned over pressing her breasts to his chest, her hands had manipulated the drawstrings from the vest to expose a portion of his chest. Letting her tongue travel up his chin to his lips she kissed him and he wrapped his arms around her returning the kiss.

The woman enflamed him with desires he only imagined and this was beyond anything he had experienced before now.

They had been sharing their bodies with each other for about a two week It should not be bothering him by feeling shy with her and he had to wonder if it was due to the fact that last night while she slept and talked in her sleep she had muttered she loved him? Was that what made this time different? He had heard her speak softly in her sleep of how much he meant to her and what she was beginning to feel. He knew it was due to the fact her walls were down in her sleep. She was vulnerable in more ways than just unable to protect herself in her sleep. She was letting her other defenses go.

Now with her knowing they were out of the line of sight of anyone she was showing all her pent up passion in that kiss and by straddling him and sitting against his sex. The heat she was giving from her body was enough to arouse him. Her hands slid down the front of her body to his pants and then her hands went down his pants down to the front of his pant. Cody was smiling she at least had removed her jacket and that left her wearing only her cotton night shift over her already excited breasts. Cody took his hands and ran them up to her shift and pulled her shift off so that she sat bare breasted over him. Letting his hands climb up to cup her breasts he was half frightened by this amount of passion he was feeling in return But there was a growing need in his body for her Those needs were more important than any little boy fears that were going to stop him from having what he wanted and he wanted M’lar.

They rode on the high of their passions until they both fell against each other exhausted and pleasantly tired. Wrapped in the afterglow of their lovemaking Cody pulled the blanket over their bodies. Juliana laid her head on his chest and sighed, “I guess we need to get dressed don’ want the boys to catch us all nude and nasty.” She smiled kissed him and sat up pulling on her nightshirt that fell just below her hips and rested at her thighs. Cody shifted and dressed in his leathers and waited for her to lay back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her he smelled her hair and smiled. This was how it should have been between them so long ago…” he closed his eyes and feel asleep not realizing he had lost his amulet in their love play.

Azalen’s spell was still in effect, when the amulet was gone, the nightmare world came back home to roost on the mind of Cody, he shifted tightened his hold on M’lar which awakened her, she looked up to see his face twisted and she thought he looked like he was reliving their moment together earlier when in fact he was caught in a dream where his ex-wife Shirley was drunk and trying to kill him again. In his dream he was back to that night right before she was arrested for attempted murder.

 

One year earlier the older Cody’s house

He was tired he had enough of her crap and she was drunk and breaking dishes in the kitchen and screaming at him. God he hated it when she got this way. He walked into their bedroom and she followed him screaming at him how worthless he was how much more did he think she could put up with his hick family and his inbreeding with his mother. That made Cody mad and she knew it she saw his jaw lock and she saw how much he wanted to slap her for that so she just kept it up. She had planned to get him to the point that he hit her and then she could get him arrested and she would file for divorce and he would get nothing and she would get everything. But he just stood there at the foot of their bed silent and glaring at her unmoving and not reacting to her tormenting words. “What did you expect when we got married that I would just turn a blind eye to you and what you were doing slipping around with your mother behind my back? You think I don’t know why you married me? You saw her in me but when we make love I know who you are really thinking of!”

He curled his hand into a fist and then relaxed it, he had promised his parents he would never raise an angry fist to a woman ever and as much as he wanted her to choke on her words he would not hit her. His parents had taught him the value of respecting a woman no matter what and in this case he was not going to give validity to her hurtful words. He reasoned she was just drunk and did not know what she was saying. “You think you are such the big great man! You can’t handle me. You can’t handle any woman unless they are related to you!” Again Cody focused on something else on a dream he had of what sharing his life with a loving and tender woman would be like. It was not like this. He had let his guard down that night and he had felt it sharp and strong in between his shoulder blades and he went down on his knees the pain was horrific and he reached behind his back and found what it was she had gone to the kitchen and brought back a butcher’s knife and now she had planted it in his back.

The only thing that had saved him from serious damage that night as the fact she was drunk and could not drive it hard enough into his back. He pulled it out and she blanched she had planned to fall against it and drive it deeper into his back, but now he held the knife and she rushed to the phone and she called the police to tell them her husband was threatening her with a knife. When the police arrived, it was easy to see who was at fault and the ambulance was called and Cody was taken to the hospital and she was carted off to jail charged with attempted murder. That had been the only thing that had saved his sanity and the fact the divorce went through really quickly and she was in jail awaiting trial. She was convicted and gotten years in prison. When she got out, she moved back home to West Virginia and away from his life for good. Except for the scare he carried to this day on his back.

 

Current time in Ravenloft

Even now, he twisted in his sleep and the reality of that night seemed so real that at one point he called out, “Oh my God Shirley!” The passion of that cry was enough to force M’lar to sit up and look at him.

“Did he just call out another woman’s name in the throes of passion?” How could he be thinking of another woman at this time right after they had made love? “Who was this Shirley?” She had never heard him speak of anyone other than his sister and mother. How could he make love to her act so innocent and then call out this woman’s name in his sleep? She curled next to him for warmth when she wanted to get up and sleep out under the stars, which would be a big mistake; she fell asleep feeling hurt and mad at Cody. Why did he not tell her that there was someone else, was he a player after all? Was that the reason he appeared to be so knowledgeable with his body when he had been busy with other woman? Did he play her for a fool?

Dawn broke and Cody awakened to the fell of the sun’s ray’s occasionally coming from behind the dark clouds of an impending storm. Rising he looked down and saw M’lar was curled into a tight ball and he covered her and kissed her forehead. He was troubled by the nightmare he had and looking down next to her body was his amulet. It must have come off while they were making love, no wonder he dreamed about that witch in his sleep. Sighing softly, he put the amulet back on and crawled to the top of the crates and took up his watch.

Rolling over and stretching she felt his blanket and that he must have been up for a while, she looked at the threatening sky and she felt her bladder was full, she needed to go relieve herself and she wanted some alone time, time that she would need to re-evaluate their relationship and what either of them meant to the other if he had another woman he had dreamed of at night. Grabbing her bag of holding she slung it over her shoulder and walked onto the barge and past the crates he sat on. She could not bring herself to look at him. She walked off the plank and towards the heavy wooded area to find a place to squat and seek relief. She was still fuming silently when she heard a thunk and felt a sting in the back of her neck.

Raising her hand to her neck she pulled out the odd looking dart “Shit, what the. . . “She fell face forward on the ground sound asleep she had just been hit with a drow sleeping dart. Rahadin could not believe his luck, so he caught her with her bottom down all the better now he did not have to fight the crew or that Ranger he would just go collect the bride of Strahd and head back and no one had to die.

What Rahadin had not expected was that Cody would hear his release and see his darker shadows along the now twilight area where he had taken his shot with his little hand cross bow. He was focused on going after M’lar when he heard the sound of the bow’s twang and dodged the first arrow as it slipped over his head to hit with a thunk to the tree. Rolling to her side, he reached for her and dragged her into the brush. Hearing the sounds of rushing feet and seeing Cody jump from the top of the barge to the ground and run towards where he last saw M’lar Rahadin knew he would come for her and now it was up to him to unleash the wrath of Strahd down on them all.

Cody did a back flip off the crate and ran to the last location he saw M’lar head when she went to relieve herself earlier, he had been puzzled she had not called up to him to let him know she was going off the barge. Landing on the ground he crumpled and rolled firing his bow at the darker shadows. "We are under attack. I got the six." Cody heard another arrow hit the water near the bank. Rushing forward and crawling on his belly he saw M’lar crumpled and unconscious. His heart came into his throat. Was she dead?” He had to get to her side and check to see if she was breathing she was so still and her face was so pale.

Getting to her side he put his fingers to her throat and felt a slow heartbeat he breathed a sigh of relief. Reaching for her he drug her next to him slid her over his shoulder, stood and ran like the hounds of hell were on his feet. Little did he realize that was exactly what was about to happen the minute he hit the deck of that flat boat. Cody shouted, “WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! M’LAR HAS BEEN HIT! SHE IS ALIVE BUT OUT!”

It had gone too calm around them the very air had seemed to stand still for them all as they stood feeling the air around them charged with tension and no wind, no sounds nothing but the water lapping against the edge of the barge, the smell of death in the air and the silence. It was the silence that was unnerving not even the insects wanted to come around them. To Cody and the seasoned warriors this was not a good sign. There was something big coming.

Hearing Cody, all the men were at once on alert, they sprang to their posts grabbing weapons. Rahadin was not happy seeing his master’s woman being carried off by that Ranger. Like a prophecy unfolding before them it came in one huge rush of vengeance and death was upon them. He watched the sky and then he closed his eyes and using the powers of controlling weather he took control over the huge storm-brewing overhead and directed it to bring all its fury to those on the barge.

The storm hit with more than thunder and lightning hail and driving rain. With the onrush of the storm Rahadin had also unleashed the wrath of the undead upon those on that barge. The Zombies were the first to try and breach the barge; the men were scrambling to fight off the putrefied flesh eaters. From over head the ghosts attacked and drove down attempting to put their chilling touch on those that were breathing and fighting on the deck. Rahadin held back waiting for a break then he dove for the deck and directly on top of M’lar, wrapping his cloak around her they disappeared and then he released the last volley of his attack.

The Ranger wanted this he got what he asked for and now no one was going to live but him, and he would be the one that would come to Strahd so he could watch his master marry the woman he had claimed as his. It was ironic that this one looked so much like the dashing handsome younger Sergei. No wonder Strahd hated him. At this point Rahadin hated him. Shifting with M’lar with him in mist form he carried her back to the woods and to the carriage he had brought. She could at least ride in style back to her beloved.

Cody was firing at anything moving in the sky but the rain made it hard to see. The brilliant flash of the lightening was making it hard for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Throwing down his bow, he withdrew his knife and pulled his sword from the scabbard now it would be up close and personal. If they wanted it down and dirty it would be down and dirty. One of the zombies knocked over a keg that held their cooking oil and lamp oil causing the oil to come out on to the wooden barge soaking it across the planks and the decking under the crates to the lamp that lay on its side on the other side of the barge. The fighting was so intense that no one took time to note that the oil was growing closer to the flame and in a whoosh the oil met flame and the barge was on fire.

Cody was dodging flames and a very nasty and determined vampire that had just now zeroed in on him. He could see some of the men were being overrun and over powered by all that was coming at them and he was beginning to feel the barge list and he wanted to be off this barge and wanted this vampire off of him. Sidestepping he turn catching the fang boy off guard and drove is sword in and lifted him up sending him flying back into the flames.

Feeling the barge list one more time, he rolled to the banks followed by Multan. They both stood back to back and began to fight the last of the zombies and the vampires off when suddenly the area went quiet again, the skies cleared and they heard their horses nickering in the woods. Turning to look at the barge Multan counted the dead that was dying or dead on the barge and none of his seasoned warriors had survived, they did see a couple of the crates floating to the shore line so they would not be totally at a loss, the crates were the ones with their food and water in it. Multan sat heavily on the ground in the mud. He was breathing heavily and watched the barge burn.

“We recover all we can and we set out for Vallkai, sorry about M’lar.” Multan watched the boat slip under the water to burn and then sputter and smolder. He assumed she had died on the boat.

Cody looked away, he had seen that grey elf cover her body and then they just disappeared. “She ain’t dead Multan. She is alive and that thing took her off the barge, the last I saw him before fang boy attacked me was he had her over his shoulder and was carrying her off to the woods.”

“Did you say Grey elf? Like grey hair or grey skin?” he looked from the water and the few crates that were floating up to the shore line. He waited for Cody’s response.

“Green hair, grey skin and black eyes that have a white center that glows.” Cody’s voice was cold and calculated he was picturing in his mind what he would do if he found that bastard and it would be a greeting from the end of his blade. What he heard next made his blood run cold.

“That must have been Strahd’s friend Rahadin, there have been stories about him for over the last one hundred years. If he has her then he is taking her to Strahd and we need to follow but give them a little head start, since we need to get our shit together that won’t be a problem. Come on stud, we have a damsel to rescue.” He punched his arm and watched Cody stand and offer him a hand up.

They spent the next four hours gathering the crates, burying the dead and getting the horses rounded up and loaded up, they had 11 horses and they needed to get going. At least they could sell the horses they would not need in the next town where they were headed. Cody rode with a stoic calm on his face his mind went back to last night when they had made love and then slept in each other’s arms and fell asleep. He did not want to remember the dream it was in the past and this was now and they had just had a battle that nearly killed them all.

Multan was unnaturally quiet too, he was thinking of all his friends that had just died and now he was sure headed for certain death. He let the horses take their own pace while he mulled over what had happened and had gone wrong.

 

Road to Ravenloft

The horses and the carriage driver a gypsy drove the six team horses hard heading down the road to make their first stop for the night, he knew that Strahd would open a portal for them to drive through and it would being them right to him he just needed to get their spot when Strahd would bring them home. Pulling the curtains on the windows, Rahadin sat in the back of the carriage waiting for the portal point he could not afford the sunlight on his skin. She he cradled M’lar’s body close to his body holding her in place so she was not battered and bruised before they got back to Castle Ravenloft. He was sure that the Ranger survived, he did not care about the others and he wanted his maser to have his bride. Closing his eyes he tried to mentally contact Strahd. “Master I have Tatyana!” he called out through time and space to connect with his master.

“Bring her to me Rahadin, I shall have the court prepare a room for her arrival. I have the portal triggered to open the minute the coach is within twenty feet of the opening. Hurry home my old friend.” Strahd turned and looked at the scrying mirror and saw Azalin watching the battle on the Luna River. “What are you up to now Azalin do you honestly think you will defeat me and keep me from Tatyana? I think instead you need to remember who you go against.”

 

Darkon Castle

Azalin watched the attack unfold. He studied the dusk elf named Rahadin and that annoyed him that Strahd had one that was so loyal to him. He watched the young Ranger best the vampire and the barge to sink with its precious cargo. He smiled at least they would not have Tatyana surely she could not have survived that fire under the drug of a drow sleeping poison. That is until he saw Rahadin appear on the boat and wrap her in his cloak and turn to mist taking her with him and carry her off into the woods. He frowned deeply. “Maybe I should help the ranger” He studied Cody and had to admit he did look just like Sergei and maybe he could use this to his advantage.

He paced back and forth and Strahd watched him pace and Strahd smiled. “What are you thinking you old bastard.” He watched him smile and then Strahd knew he must have come up with a plan. He wondered what it would entail. Strahd knew that Azalin was not happy unless he was making problems for Strahd. He had been a thorn in his side for many years now and he wanted to make sure that Azalin did not create any more problems for him until he had his Tatyana.

Watched him rush from his room and now he needed to know what he was up to he was not about to allow him to interfere with his life.

Azalin was smiling all he needed was some of her blood, then he could make an army of Tatyana’s and send them to destroy Strahd, with an Army in image of his beloved how could he order them destroyed? It would be better if he had the original but that would be for another day and another time. He walked to his laboratory to write out his plans and to look up the spells he would need. He had a sound plan and now all he needed to do is implement it with a sample of her blood. That way he could keep the Ranger Sergei and Strahd off balance and he would end up the victor in this battle. He laughed and it was not a pleasant laugh. The woman was a means to get at both men because it was obvious when she was around neither man could think clearly. She was their weakness and his success.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 15

Woods along the Luna River

Cody sat on the bank, his eyes burning from the burning smoke and the smell of death nearly choked him, he began to count the dead from their party, and he felt a knot form in his throat, there was Grethor with the deep voice and the ready laugh, Salty, the nickname that M’lar had given to his partner, he was scrawny and loved to add extra salt in his meal. Cody had to look away a portion of his face had been eaten off and his throat had been ripped out. They were everywhere and Cody was beginning to think he had been the only one to survive. He had already checked the banks for M’lar’s body and he was not sure how he would react if he had found her in the same condition as this crew was left.

He found nothing of her along the banks; he found tracks that led into the woods to what he knew was a carriage. The person that had been walking to this carriage was bearing weight as he walked and mostly to his left side. Once he got the carriage his burden had been thrown or placed inside and he had stepped back in even footsteps and looked around the area and then it appeared he twisted in a motion to throw something. Cody looked around and saw it, M’lar’s bag of holding had been thrown up in a tree and it dangled precariously overhead. Taking an arrow he shot the bag down and went to scoop it up.

“I am so sorry babe, I am going to find you I swear by all that is good and holy I am going to find you.” Cody slumped down and bent his head in dejection and depression. He would have cried but he had promised himself a long time ago when he had divorced Shirley he would never cry again. He was not about to cry especially over a woman. The problem was this was not just any woman it was M’lar and he knew in his heart he had grown feelings for her that was deeper than anything he had ever felt before.

Feeling a strong hand clamp down on his shoulder he tensed then twisted drawing back to strike until he saw Multan standing over him bloodied battered and grim. “Get up boy we have a vampire to kill.” The voice was cold and disassociated he could see the mercenary had locked down any emotions he had and was now set on taking care of business and seeing the last of the cargo delivered. They had a lot to do and he wanted to get on it before dusk, he knew that it would take most the day to clean up the area, bury the dead and collect the cargo. Once they had it loaded on the horses they would then head to the nearest town and wait for daylight.

It had taken most the morning and half the afternoon to make sure the dead stayed dead, burn the bodies, collect the cargo and load it on the horses, they both were bone weary tired and secretly they had prayed they would make it past any brigands that might try to stop their progress to town. It was almost at the time of the setting sun that both men leading the horses loaded with the cargo dirty and hungry rode into town to the astonished gazes of most the town folk that had gathered to watch the odd procession.

 

Castle Ravenloft

Strahd’s bedchambers

M’lar opened one eye and then the other. Her vision was blurred and her mind muddled. Blinking a couple of times she rolled her head to her left and then her right and instantly regretted the action. Her head was spinning. She heard a soft chuckle and a voice she did not recognize. “Give it a few moments my dearest one. The dizziness will pass, it is the drow sleeping potion. Nasty bit of business but necessary to get you here safely.” M’lar did not recognize his voice and she certainly did not recognize the room or her surroundings. Pushing her upper body up on her elbows for support she looked down and realized she was dressed in a gown of soft satin in a pale peach color. “I am sure you have many questions my dear. I will send in your maid to get you dressed and you will join me in the formal dining room.”

M’lar looked at the man that stood up and walked to the bed to sit on the edge next to her. His eyes were cold and black, his lips full, and his features square and strong. He was not a young man he held grey at his temples and when he smiled, she could see the hint of sharp pointed teeth that retracted at his command. He stroked her cheek down to her lips and drew his fingertips over her pouty lips. “You are different but you are the same.” He slid his fingertips to her chin and lifted it so he could peer at her image and features closer, “Your hair is not blond but auburn which I approve but it is you none the less it is you my darling.” He leaned over and placed a light kiss on her dry lips and she wanted to recoil. However she thought to do so might endanger her so she held herself motionless.

“I know it is a lot to take in at this time we will discuss this later, for now you will need to bathe, let Aria dress your hair and body and join my guests and I in the formal dining hall.” He kissed her lightly one more time stood in his aristocratic clothing and she watched him leave the room. When he had she fell back and sighed deeply. Her mind was a washed with her muddled and confused thoughts. Closing her eyes she felt the tears sting the back of her eyelids and she sniffed, she had to be brave, she was in this mess and surely Cody would not leave her here. Then she thought of that last night with him.

That made her grief all the more intense, that last night they made love and the cuddled and she heard him call out another woman’s name. Maybe he would leave her here, she was so conflicted and afraid at this time she was not sure how or what she was going to do. The one thing he had instilled in her was his promise, he may have used her but he did promise he would keep her safe. Closing her eyes she took her fingertips and wiped the tears from her eyes. Withdrawing her fingers from her eyes she paled, the ink stains on her fingertips were gone, they were her holy symbol what she needed to execute her spells, and then she thought of her bag of holding and sprung up from the bed and tried to stand.

Again a regret she had for her thoughtless actions. She staggered to the nearest chair and sat heavily on it and leaned over resting her hands to her face. She knew the dizziness would pass, she just needed it to pass now. Slowly her world righted and a pretty young maid with blond hair and blue eyes entered the room with a bright and welcoming smile. “Welcome my Princess, please I have your bath ready, allow me to undress you and help you to your bath, the Count said you were not feeling well and to take it easy until the medicine wears off.”

 

Bathing Chambers

The tub was huge and filled with warm water and it had been ages since she had a good hot bath. Aria lathered the soap on her body and then washed her hair, “Madam’s hair is so pretty and it will look lovely dressed with the crown I was given to put on your head. The Master had been so excited at the thought of you being in residence again after such a long absence, he has even sent for the nobles to join you for dinner tonight. I selected a green embroidered gown of soft silk material. I hope you are pleased with my selection. I fear the crow may be a little heavy but I promise your hair will be lovely.”

Standing Aria wrapped her in a soft plush towel allowing her to dry her body while she went to gather the rest of the items she would need to dress her properly. She was after all a princess of this court and Aria needed this job. Waiting for M’lar to join her she laid out jewels, under garments and shoes. When M’lar entered the room, she dropped the towel and waited for Aria to help her with dressing. The dress looked to be heavy tut surprisingly it was not. “Here my lady please have a seat so I might dry and dress your hair.” Siting on the curved bench she folded her hands neatly in her lap and sighed.

“Thank you for your kind help Aria. I must confess I am afraid, I don’t know where I am, and I don’t know who they think I am, and finally, I am confused and worried for my friends.” Aria had started to comb her hair and wrap it in intricate curls and braids, working her crown through the heavy fall of hair. She was silent while she pinned, curled and braided and when she was finished, she turned her head to see her image in the mirror. M’lar had not seen such a large mirror in this kingdom before and had not realized it was in her room, then realized it had been covered earlier. Standing she was stunned, she was not only younger she was beautiful. Her wide green eyes looked greener in this dress and her complexion was clear and perfect as it was twenty years ago. Then she realized that it would not be Cody that would see her this way but that man she saw earlier.

“Aria what is the name of your master?” She was afraid of the answer and when Aria curtsied to her speaking proudly, “Why it’s Count Strahd or Prince Strahd. He is the lord and master of all of Barovia and you will be his wife the Countess or Princess Tatyana.” M’lar felt her legs buckle and she dropped to the floor on her knees her voice was soft and held a small gasping sound,

“No, no, no... This is not happening… no, no, no.” Aria rushed to her side. Gently, she helped M’lar to stand. Her concern was evident by the look on her face. She had noted how pale M’lar had grown at the mention of Strahd’s name and now she was visibly shaking. She closed her eyes and shook her head, if she as here at this castle with that man then it meant only one thing, Cody had been taken or he was dead and she was afraid, deathly afraid of what was about to happen. He had her fingertips washed of the ink because he knew she was a priestess and he knew that was her holy symbol that gave her the powers she needed from her god. Stripped of that she was now bereft of her god’s gifts so she could not help Cody or herself. She was worthless and she knew Strahd knew that as well and now she would have to face a tribunal. If she were found guilty she could be put to death.

Pacing back and forth she waited to be summoned to the dining hall and she was not sure if she could make it through this night, she was truly deathly afraid of this man and his powers. She did not want to be the bride of a blood-sucking vampire. She did not want to be a blood-sucking vampire, death would be preferable to that so perhaps she should let them put her to death. Hearing a soft knock on the door, Aria went to answer it and there stood two royal guardsmen dressed in their finest garments for the evening affair. “We are here to collect the Princess. The Master said you are dismissed.” Aria looked one last time at her Princess and could tell how stressed and upset she was and nodded encouragingly then darted out the door. The two guards took up position next to her and marched her down a long hallway to a set of stairs that were curved and doubled to a landing below, one set of steps went to the left and one set of steps went to the right with a center landing that faced the foyer, then a long set of steps flowed to the foyer where Strahd waited dressed in his royal garb. He extended his hand to her indicating she should join him below.

On shaky legs with her hands clinched together she watched her feet kick out her gown as she slowly walked down the steps to join M’lar at the bottom of the steps. He took her right hand and held it aside so he could feast upon her beauty. He smiled, “Do not tuck your chin my love, it hides those beautiful eyes and that lovely heart shaped face. Hold your head up proud you are to be my wife soon.” He tucked her hand into the bend of his arm and covered her hand with his other hand and M’lar could not get past the feeling that his hands were cold and felt like the dead. “Now smile, these are the important people in our lives. Come along my love and meet your people, they are most anxious to meet you in this new life.”

Walking her down a long hallway it took all that M’lar had to not let her knees buckle again, closing her eyes for a moment she silently screamed out into the night for Cody to come and help her to rescue her, she also kept saying, ‘It’s only a dream, it’s only a dream, wake up M’lar wake up. You are going to open your eyes and you will see Cody is fine. He is not dead, you may be mad at him but damnit he is not dead. Multan and the guys will want dinner. Wake up!’ She felt him stop and she opened her eyes and her heart sunk into her stomach it was not a dream and this was happening and she needed to not faint, the last thing she needed to do was faint from fear, she had to hold to hold to hope.

 

Strahd’s formal dining room

Strahd escorted her to the head of the table and seated her at one end of the table while he took a seat at the opposite end. “One day my love you will sit here on my right and you will sit to my right in the throne room. You shall be my wife and you will be afforded all the courtesy of that honor. Ladies and Gentlemen of the court may I present, my fiancé Tatyana, Tatyana, my court.” The others at the table looked greedily upon the living-breathing female that sat so close and smelled so deliciously alive and filled with hot blood and fear.

Strahd knew they envied him and they wanted very much to taste his bride to be but he was not about to allow that happen. “I will remind you all that she is mine, and mine alone and none may touch her while she is under my roof and until I bring her over. You will respect my request to not touch her and afford her the respect she so richly deserves.” He looked at the older men, the younger ones and the ladies who had been licking their tongue over their elongated fangs.

For M’lar her glance allowed her to see a table of approximately twenty- to possibly twenty-six people dressed richly and in various ages and sexes seated and watching her hungrily. She was the lamb in the den of wolves and she was scared to death. They all frowned after Strahd had made his announcement and then nodded to the servants to bring in the food. “Because my bride is not used to the way we dine, I have ordered your drinks to be your meals tonight, we will dine as she does and we will give her time to become accustomed to our way of living in small increments. Is that understood?”

There was a series of nods and muttered “Yes my lord Strahd.” Which made Strahd smile he had control over this group and before the night was over he would exert some control over his bride to make her more acclimated to her surroundings. If it was by force then so be it. The conversation was light and innocuous small talk and M’lar was too nervous to eat let alone make small talk she smiled tightly nodded her head and kept her eyes on her plate and pushed her food around on her plate. “Highness are you not hungry you have barely eaten.” That was the Countess Natalie, and she was practically beaming at being set so close to M’lar.

“Not particularly, I am a bit nervous around so many dignitaries.” She elicited a small amount of amusement from those that had heard her small voice, at the end of the table.

“Strahd she is delightful, you really must make sure she gets to meet more of our kind before she is turned. You know it will be a shame to lose that innocence but it will happen, it always does.” Natalie appeared to be baiting Strahd and M’lar was not to know she had been the favorite at court and in Strahd’s bed until she came. Natalie was not sure if she was going to let this little mouse usurp her position with Strahd, she could not see the resemblance to Tatyana this one was dark haired and an over uttered cow in her opinion and now she was letting her claws out. “Why not allow me to take her around in the kingdom to introduce her to the land and its people, don’t you think it’s time they met your future wife, you do plan to make it a public event?” That really irked Natalie, to think of her in his bed. How could she possibly please a man with such insatiable and perverse needs surely she was in capable of pleasing him as she, Natalie had.

Strahd knew what was going on and he slammed his hand down on the table, which caused M’lar to jump and look up surprise, she had not realized that this catty woman was setting her up for her death if M’lar had been allowed to go with Natalie. “ENOUGH NATALIE!” Strahd’s eyes were glowing with a red intensity and an inner fire burned in him as he laid that gaze on his mistress. “You play with my emotions then you play an evil game and one that will end with you taking a special bath.” He had said it with such venom that Natalie actually paled. “Let me be specific here, those of you that held favor in this house before Tatyana will maintain that special honor as long as you treat her with respect and with care. Those of you that think to play your parlor games, your political posturing games will find that I will have Render bring out the tub and I will fill it with holy water and you will be given a bath in it, do I make myself clear?”

They all shifted uncomfortably under his stare and his words, they had seen too many of their mutual enemies put to death in the bathtub of holy water and they were not about to test those waters. Natalie laughed uncomfortably, “My dearest Strahd we all know the depth of your affections and love for this woman, some of must wonder how it will affect us in your eyes.” She had skated delicately around her true question which was where did she stand. She locked her gaze to his and waited for his answer and he could read her like a book. She was dangerous and she would try to come between him and his beloved. He would not allow that to happen and perhaps now he should put an end to this charade she was playing.

“If you mean do you still get to lay in my bed, I am afraid not, that bed is now occupied.” Strahd laid his napkin down on the table and prepared to act the moment he had uttered those words. The reaction was instantaneous; Natalie had turned with claws extended and drove them towards M’lar’s face with a scream of outrage and jealousy. Strahd was there between the two before she could make contact with M’lar’s face or eyes. Natalie had her fangs extended and she was ready to rend and drink M’lar dry when she felt her body physically lifted from the table and flung across the room. The guards were there in an instant and they withdrew holy crosses to surround the woman who was no in full on vampire mode and hissing and screaming out her rage.

Strahd called out, “Render! Prepare the bath!” Natalie realized the folly of her actions, the guards came to escort M’lar from the room and back to the bedroom she had occupied earlier. She was confused, afraid and did not realize until this moment how close to death or serious maiming she had come. That female must have shared his bed. He had just usurped her and now she was sure that M’lar was her competition is what or how M’lar reasoned that attack on her. On legs that wanted to buckle she felt a strong set of hands hold her arms and practically lift her and carry her to the room she had occupied earlier, as soon as she had been delivered she had heard them secure the door and lock it.

 

The Judgment Chambers

Strahd sat in the chair of absolute judgment his eyes fixed and staring at the nude woman that was shoved before him, “For your offense of treason I sentence you to the final death, all properties, servants and holdings are hereby seized and become mine to do with as I see fit. Render give the Countess Natalie a bath.” The guards backed her up against the edge of the iron tub that was filled with clear fluid, when her hand touched the side of the tub it sizzled and the smell of burning flesh filled the room. “All of you look upon what is about to happen. No one will, do you understand no one interfere with this marriage. Do not look away.”

The guards lifted Natalie and threw her into the tub of holy water it splashed and then the water began to bubble and sizzle and hiss with the horrific screams as the water consumed the perfect flesh of the once beautiful woman. The skin began to peal from her body, her muscle tissue burned and scorched and dissolve into the water. The screams of the Countess echoed around the hall and up the hallway and through the castle to M’lar who sat on the edge of the bed and shivered hearing the screams of the woman. Grabbing a pillow she held it over her head and began to sob, was this something that would happen to her if she refused Strahd? Curling into a ball of complete and absolute terror she closed her eyes and cried, not necessarily for the woman that was being tortured to death down stairs.

She cried because she did not know if she had any hope, she had to know if Cody was alive or dead, she had to know if she had a snowballs chance in hell of getting out of this place alive and she cried because she wanted to be home and not here. She wanted to be in Cody’s arms and not here, she wanted Cody. Plain and simple that was the crux of her fear she wanted Cody.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 16

Strahd’s Castle

M’lar closed her eyes and she curled into a fetal position, holding the pillow close, she tried so hard to remember the smell of him, the feel of his hands on her, the look in his eyes when they made love, it was fading. All of those good memories were being replaced by doubt and fear, the fear of what would happen to her if she stayed here. Silently she called out to anyone that could possibly here her and with one hope lying on her mind that perhaps by the fact they had bonded so closely to one another that Cody, her Cody would hear her call to him the name she knew and loved, ‘Paul.’ She whispered his name into her tear soaked pillow.

“Who is Paul, my dear? Some simple fool you knew in another lifetime, am I your Paul for which your voice holds so much tenderness when you speak his name?” M’lar felt his hand on her shoulder and she tried not to flinch but it was so hard, “You tremble? Did the bad countess upset you that much my love? Surely, you know that I would never let anyone harm you. She will never be your problem again my dear. She has gone to a world that will never forgive, a world I rule.” He gently stroked her cheek, then laid next to her and pulled her body close to his and he felt her stiff and laughed. “It is all right, soon enough you will welcome my touch.”

Once again, M’lar closed her eyes and told herself, ‘Pretend its Cody, you can do this pretend its Cody.’ Although she knew it was not Cody, she lay perfectly still in his hold while he trailed kisses down her face to her lips and forced them apart. He could tell she was not a part of this and he smiled.

“It is all right my love, the time will come you will accept, it’s been a stressful day for you, so I will leave you for now. Sleep my precious one and soon we shall share this bed as man and wife.” He held her tight kissed her throat and felt his desires for her grow. He held back wanting to bite her because he would not risk losing her this close to owning her body and soul. Rolling from the bed, he walked to the door, turned to look at her laying in a ball and smiled, he would return later when she was asleep and hold her and make her believe it was her ranger.

That made him frown deeply, the ranger would be a problem. Just as Sergei was a problem this ranger would need to be dealt with the sooner the better. Walking down the hallway he summoned two of his brides. “My sweet little ones I have a mission for you. Come we must discuss what will happen and who you are to seek out and destroy and bring to me.” He wrapped his arms around the voluptuous ones and lead them to his inner chambers where he laid out a most vicious and devious plot of a heinous nature.

 

Inlet town along the Luna River near Zeidenburg

They were grim faced, covered in dirt and blood and the stench of death as they rode into the small inlet town. “I think we will do good to make our nightfall here Cody, this is a small town but it’s well fortified and they are good people. We can put up at the inn and they have a stable that will house the horses and feed them. Our cargo will be safe until we get to Zeidenburg on the morrow, we can rest and get a good meal and then some much needed rest.” He wanted to bring Cody out of his guilt and his feelings of being helpless. He had seen loneliness in a man’s eyes before but nothing that seemed to compare with what he saw when Cody realized she was no longer at his side. He was desolate with his guilt.

Cody stoically nodded, kept his eyes forward but his senses keen to their surroundings hoping beyond hope that she might have escaped and was trying to come back to him, he was hoping that was what she was doing. He had noticed she had kind of gotten withdrawn after a night of such tender lovemaking, it had been more than sex for them, and it had been an awakening. It was a revelation for both of them. Their lovemaking had a different feel and then after that momentary time of her letting her walls down and allowing him to look into her passion filled eyes, there was no longer the look of lust but need a need to be closer to him to allow him access to see into her soul and he smiled, thinking of what he saw and what he found he liked.

Multan smiled seeing the glimmer of a smile on his lips and lead them forward down the rutted roadway to the small little town that sat on the boarders of Barovia. Riding into town they had created quite the stir of excitement. They were new arrivals and that was always a cause for the town folk to stop stare and evaluate and upon seeing Multan leading the horses they all started calling out to him. “HAIL! Friend Multan! Make thee welcome old friend. Do you come bringing cargo for the town of Zeidenburg?” That was the town’s law official calling from a wooden sidewalk in front of the goal.

“I am well Galen, how is the wife and your children?” He called back and turned to Cody, “An old friend I made some years ago. He will make sure that the cargo is safe and will wish to eat with us to get the details of what happened along the river.” The sun was setting when they brought the horses to the stables near a small inn. “The food is really good here and he women are hot and cheap.” He laughed and punched Cody’s arm. “Come on we are going to find your precious little one, she means just as much to me as she did you.” Multan slid from his horse and turned the reins over to the stable hand.

“I doubt very much that she means as much to you as she does to me Multan, you don’t know her like I know her.” Cody threw his leg over his mount and handed his reins to the stable hand.

“If you mean I did not bed her you are right but to see she has a good soul and when she gives her love it is completely that she makes you feel completed, then aye I have known love like that once a long time ago. So I may not be able to relate to you directly, I can relate indirectly, that was why when I embraced my life as a mercenary I gave up those feelings for the softer things in life. I insulated myself against those feelings and if you want a bit of advice, take the whore tonight and lock your emotions down, if she is with Strahd, I can assure you when you get her back she will no longer be the M’lar you knew but his bride and undead. It would be better to take her head.” His voice had grown hard with those words and he walked into the inn.

Cody was not about to give up on her and he had hoped in his heart that what he had seen the night before she was not going to give up on him either. Following Multan into the inn he stood and waited for him to get them a room for the night. He leaned against the door and watched the outside and the settling of the sun and for a moment he thought, he felt her fear and her terror and he was not sure but he thought he heard her scream out. Pushing from the door, he walked to the front of the inn and looked to the night sky and saw them two bats doing a dance in the sky and wondered what they were doing, then he heard their piercing call and shook his head, it was as if M’lar was screaming out to him through them. “Cody?”

He turned at the call of his name. Multan nodded to the stairs. “Come on lets clean up change and come down and eat, Rolof is going to find us some companionship for the night.” Multan laughed and walked up the stairs he was looking forward to cleaning up and cuddling up with something soft. Cody followed at more sedate and leisurely pace. Walking down the narrow confines of the hallway to a room at the end of the hall, Cody had to admit the rooms were clean and well kept. He walked into the small room that held two bunks and for a moment thought about how close he could have slept with M’lar in one of those bunks.

Dropping his bag of holding with hers on the floor he flopped down on the one bunk closest to the window and closed his eyes. He would wait for Multan to get his shower then he would go shower and change, reaching for her bag, he opened it and pulled out her blouse. Lifting it he drew it to his nose and inhaled the scent of her and smiled. She even smelled sweet when she sweat and he was more determined to find her, even if she had been turned he would not rest until he could return her to what she was when he first met her and inwardly he had to pray to Silvanus that she would not let that evil touch her soul she would hide that part of herself from the evil that now surrounded her.

Sighing he knew that Multan would be a while so he stood and grabbed his diary and went to the table to sit and began to write in his book. He was still writing when Multan came in smelling nice and sweet and dragging a pretty brunette with him. “Hey boy, go bathe and find you a comforter for the night. I will be busy for a while.” Cody waited for the ink to dry hearing the giggling behind him was making him uncomfortable. He needed to go bathe and checking his book he saw the ink had dried, closing the book he pushed it in his bag of holding and gathered up his bag and went to the bathing chambers, to clean up. He would get something to eat and then sleep, he did not want nor did he need some whore to keep him busy for the night.

Cleaning up, he stuffed his things into his bag, and walked back to his room to hear the giggling still on going so he went on down the stairs to the common room and sat, ordering some hearty beef stew he waited and nibbled on a hunk of bread and a cube of cheese. He watched the fire and once again he thought he heard her voice, he was driving himself mad with anxiety thinking with a soft whisper of a voice, or the light giggle in the shadows that he thought she was there and he would turn his head to see who had laughed or was speaking softly. Always it was another and not she, not his M’lar. Then it hit him, when had he designated her as ‘his” M’lar? Did his feelings go deeper than even he wanted to admit?

Hunkering over his stew he shoveled the beef stew into his mouth but he did not taste it. She was not there to share it with him, she was not sitting next to him letting her fingertips dance up the inside of his thigh or sitting across from him her knees pressed to his and her eyes dancing with mischief. She was not there and that was the problem. A part of him felt something he did not think he would ever feel again, he felt lost and alone and incomplete.

With Shirley, it had been in the beginning nice to touch, share, talk, and complete each other. She had been as he had dreamed his life would be with someone so amazing and then it began to fade with each passing day that he shared with her becoming distant, petulant, childish and then the drinking and the discontent had set in and finally the ugliness that heralded the end of something shared and beautiful. The hurt and the need to hurt was a bigger part of his stress filled life and he did not need any more stress, or obstacles or accusations that were being thrown at him by this shrew.

He wanted what he had with M’lar; he wanted the unconditional acceptance and unspoken words of love that was transmitted in a thoughtful kind word or touch. The encouragement she always sought to give without being forceful. The hesitation in expressing and the need to just be there for him. She completed him in ways he had never realized and now he wanted it back and a part of him was angry, he was very angry at Strahd for taking that from him and he wanted it back. No matter the cost he was going to keep his word and get her back to her home and her family if it meant he had to give up his life. Drinking his ale he watched the room much as a trained assassin might looking for possible problems. Then he saw Multan come down with his whore, and she had a friend with her.

They walked to his table and the friend immediately sidled up to Cody’s side. “Hi handsome what is your name?” She ran her fingertips through his tousled hair and smiled into his eyes. Her eyes were brown and they held a hint of deceit and she had no soul. He chewed his food, swallowed, and took a long drink of his ale and then smiled.

“James, and your name?” She wanted to play a game he was going to play it so far. He caught the curious look of Multan’s when he had said his name was James. For Multan what is in a name maybe his name was James Cody or Cody James it mattered not to him as long as the boy got out of his depression he was beginning to depress him with his mooning over the loss of M’lar. Although for Multan he would try to help him get her back as long in the end he could claim a bit of gold. He knew they had a nice commission to share once they got the cargo to Zeidenburg.

“James what a sweet name, means he of strength and courage.” She giggled and it annoyed him with the way she sounded so phony, he was reminded of Shirley when she was pretending to be happy and that just annoyed him more. At least with M’lar when she laughed it was a real genuine laugh because she loved life and was not just going through the motions. Again his thoughts stymied him he could not believe he knew that much about a woman that had just be a lust filled day dream crush for him. She had become so much more.

Finishing his meal and his drink, Multan ordered another round for them all and Cody sat back watching the women pretend to drink while they thought Multan and he were getting drunk, for every drink he lifted his mug to take, Cody did not drink he merely tasted the drink and waited when no one was watching to pour a little of it out onto the crack in the floor. Then feigning being drunk he staggered up the stairs to fall into the bed. Mora and Lucinda had stayed with Multan laughing at how quickly the young buck had succumbed to his drink.

Cody lay with his arm under his head and closed his eyes and fell into a light sleep in that half walking half dream like world he could hear M’lar’s voice. “Wake up!” Cody’s eyes flew open and straddled across his chest mouth wide and fangs bared was Lucinda. She growled and drove forward to sink her teeth into his throat, Cody’s on instinct alone withdrew the knife under his pillow and swung with all his might, the blade sunk into the flesh of her throat and sinew sliced and the bone crunched and the head flew across the room in a spurt of blood and the body fell forward on his body covering him with blood. Shoving the body from his chest he sat up. “Shit!” He muttered and sighed looking around for Multan.

Multan staggered through the door and the minute he saw the dead vampire laying on the floor and Cody covered in blood he sobered quickly. “What the hell?” He looked to the head of the hideously beautiful features of the woman that he thought had come to bed his friend and then his friend covered in her black sebaceous blood like substance. “I thought you were finally coming to your senses to have a bit of sport with that one. I see by the looks of things she was ready to make you her evening meal. That never happened before when I stayed here. Seems Strahd is looking at you for some competition. So, that means he has not taken or convinced M’lar to be his bride if he considers you competition. “

“Frack you Bastard, help me get rid of this body, we need to burn it. The quicker we can do that I can finally get some sleep before daylight and we can get on the road again and I can go after M’lar.” Cody lifted the body from the floor and he noticed the blood was turning to an acid like form, and it was beginning to burn through his leathers. “Shit!” Stripping his leathers off him threw them to the fire and fished out a fresh change of clothing. “At this rate I am going to be naked if I don’t get some more clothing soon.” He muttered not amused but listened with irritation as Multan chuckled at his statement.

“That would be a bad thing riding in the saddle across country all day. It would chafe that favorite play toy of M’lar’s and your balls.” He was being funny but course and Cody shot him an ungrateful look and then realized he was teasing him and began to chuckle. “Now that is the Cody I need on this trip. Keep your humor we will get your lady love and get you back to where you belong.” Multan picked up the head and they walked to the fireplace and threw the head into the fire and then the body it went up with a flash and a scream that echoed about the room. “They usually travel in pairs we need to be alert me boy. I will take the first four hours of this watch you take the next and we will be up at first light to get on the road to Zeidenburg. “

 

Zeidenburg Town Commons Proper

The trip from Inlet Town of Zophburg was uneventful. All Cody wanted was to find a way to get to M’lar. He needed information and he needed her back in his life and by his side. He was beginning to ache for the feel of her touch and the need of her to have and keep his back. He had lived through so much in the past forty-three years to find himself suddenly thrust into his 23 year old body had been unnerving but pleasant he had finally given him the courage to get what he wanted, but to have found so much more in this savage land. He was sure of one thing once her found her he would tell her everything, from the point of his being thrust into the past to her arms and his feelings he would confess it all to her. He would tell her the truth from the beginning to the end. He no longer was going to keep any secrets from her. This was their life for better or worse, in sickness and in health and he prayed to whatever god could hear him that it was not until death did them part.

Multan took the cargo to Emeriti Sorenson, the merchant and explained what happened and that he salvaged all of the cargo he had ordered. The man was sympathetic and grateful and paid Multan a very generous fee for bringing his cargo home safely and even took the horses they would not need. Cody made sure he kept his and M’lar’s horse while Multan kept his horse and one of the other horses. He was not so quick to part with the horses but knew he could not manage nine horses on his own. Dividing up the share of the money, he set aside a portion to send to each man’s wife, or family. Multan was an honorable man and that was one reason Cody liked him so much. “I will put this in a bank account here and the family of those men live in nearby villages they can come to the bank and they can collect their shares.” He sounded sad thinking of the friends he had lost.

Cody sighed softly, “I guess we need to decide tonight how we are going to proceed, and obviously we are going to need coin for me to continue my quest, as for you my old loyal friend you don’t need to do this.” Cody was serious he had brought enough death into this man’s life.

Multan walked him to the front of the Inn, “This is Aloysius’s Armstands place we call him Double AA thus the name for his Inn. This man was once a partner with me, we traveled all over this land as sell swords, he settled down when his old lady got pregnant. Now they run this place and this is a safe haven for me and mine when we are in town. So tonight, we sleep in peace with no worries and you and I will get drunk and we will regale them of the tales of the brave M’lar and the honorable Cody James and then we will sleep the drunk off and then begin to plan how we are going to find that lovely lady you have so hopelessly fallen in love with and bring her home to you.” He laughed clapped his friend on the back and led him into the inn.

Cody for the first time since this began felt he had made a true friend, one he could trust and one he knew would be there for him if he wanted to go for M’lar under impossible odds, in a more save country in an environment he was soon to learn could easily be the death of him. What had struck him was his last words. ‘Was he hopelessly in love with this woman that he had daydreamed about, crushed on and had thought of nothing since his divorce from Shirley? Had he tried to fill his life with other women to forget one evening he had kicked himself over and over since he let her drive out of his life that night?’

He walked into the common room and ordered a drink of Grog and sat at the rough-hewn tables, this was the kind of room he always thought he would put in a cabin in the woods. A room like this was what he had seen her in with him. Nestled quietly in the wood finding time to be with each other. To laugh, fish, love and play and then at night... He left that thought when the maid brought him a drink. She smiled and he fished into his pocket and pulled out single silver and gave it to her. “Keep the change.” He muttered and then had to think about what he had done with his life since he married Shirley and made a big mistake in so doing.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 17

Castle Ravenloft

Strahd heard her call out for ‘Paul’. Who was this Paul? Surely she was with the ranger, he assumed she loved him or was his. It had not surprised him that the Ranger looked so much like Sergei, perhaps that was why he resented him so much and thought that was to whom she had given her heart. He needed to know, he wanted her and he wanted her to come to him willingly. He had posted the banns on the impending nuptials the problem was he had not convinced her to be his, she had been there two days and she was still resisting him. He paced his library and paused to look at the last visage of the sun dying behind the mists that swirled around his castle. He knew she had kept to his bedroom since the night he destroyed Natalie.

Sitting at his desk he sat back to think, he needed to discover who this Paul was and he had already lost one bride of his to that damn ranger. He had sent another of his loyal subjects to gather those bloodied leathers, they had been brought to him tonight and he looked at the clothing and smiled, “I will get her cooperation if she loves the Ranger of this Paul I shall find out who he is and eliminate him as a competitor for her affections and I will give her a choice.” He looked up at the arrival of her servant Aria. “Yes Aria, is she dressed?”

“Yes milord. She is dressed but refuses to leave the room. She said she was not going to come down here if she was going to be put on public display.” Aria was not totally converted to being a vampire but she was under the thrall of the lord and Master of this castle. “Milord if I may suggest, perhaps you should give her some time and allow her to dine with just perhaps you and she in your quarters, so she can adjust to these surroundings. She truly is afraid of what is waiting for her down here and she is afraid of you.” She watched his hand clinch into a fist and a scowl appear on his face.

“She has nothing to fear from me. Perhaps you are right Aria, why not do this, take her to the music room. Let her be surrounded by the beauty of the room and the calm. Serve us dinner there.” Strahd stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of his loyal servant. Placing a cold kiss on her forehead he smiled. “Go to her now and tell her it shall be just the two of us tonight away from the others.” He nodded, “I think you are right it was too much for her to accept all of us at one time I should have eased her into this life. You are a good servant Aria. Now go and prepare her for the night.”

He watched her smile curtsy to him and turn walking away from him heading to the room where he had her locked, while he slept. He had enjoyed watching her sleep and tonight he would get to know her better. Turning he looked to the shadows. “YOU have what I wanted?” Rahadin stepped into the room and laid out the amulet that had belonged to Cody on Strahd’s desk. Strahd lifted the amulet and then reached into his pocket and pulled out the matching one. “This was the one that she was wearing when she came here, I see that Azalin has been busy, perhaps you should send him my regards and a couple of dragons to attack his tower, and I would not want him to forget about me.”

Rahadin bowed and smiled; turning without another word he was gone from the room. Strahd locked the two amulets together in his desk drawer, perhaps he could use these to find out who this Paul was and why was she in love with him when she was with the ranger if she loved another but slept with the Ranger then perhaps he could sway her to be his forever mate. Walking with an arrogance and air of confidence to the hallway to the music room he paused, he could hear the harpsichord and it was being played beautifully, so much like Tatyana would do while she and Sergei were courting. Walking to the arched doorways he leaned against the door, folding his arms over his chest he watched her play from memory the very same music she had requested be played the night she married Sergei, it was a lovely song and one that he wanted to be played at their wedding.  
He clapped, “Bravo, my dearest one, bravo, you play as you did so long ago, if ever I doubted that you were my beloved Tatyana return to me you have dispelled those thoughts by playing that song.

The Heart wants what the Heart Gets, a lovely song that was played the night you had intended to marry my brother Sergei, come.” He walked towards her and motioned her to come to him; his hand extended palm up his fingers curled then a wiggling motion for her to join him. He noted that Aria had selected the white and soft green elfin silk gown and her hair was dressed in ringlets with flowers and ribbons adoring her tresses. She looked lovely even in her uncertain and definite fear of him.

She only hesitated slightly, and walked on soft footfalls to his side and felt his cold hand slide around her waist pulling her closer to him, pressing his body up against hers. “You see a long time ago, you lived here with my brother and myself. You were pledged to him, but we loved one another.” He walked her down the hallway to the area that housed the portraits of the family, “This was my father, my mother, my brother Sergei.” He paused as she walked with him and she studied the features of those he was identifying for her and when she stopped in front of Sergei she turned away from him and looked up at the features. “Paul. . . “She spoke unconsciously not realizing she had spoken his name out loud. Her hand went to her mouth and her eyes fixed to the features of the man she had fallen in love with and was just now realizing her feelings.”

Strahd was shocked, were there two men that held her affections or had his brother come back in the form of this Paul and then took over the body of the ranger. This was a puzzle he had intended to figure out if it was the last mystery this woman presented. Frowning somewhat he turned her gently and lead her to the portrait that held a place of prominence in the room. It was a large life size portrait of a beautiful blond woman wearing a white wedding gown. “This is Tatyana, you my dear, over four hundred years ago. You as you were on your wedding day to my brother, a day you regretted because you confessed to me you loved me, and not him and you broke his heart to tell him of your love for me.” He lied he knew it and he was not going to change his story.

“Unfortunately, you died before we were able to bind our love into this new existence. Ever since then you have been reborn to me and by the time I have found you, you died. This time, you will not die, you will be here and you will marry me and you will embrace my life and we shall share an eternity together.” She had blocked out his words, she was struck by the fact that woman in that portrait was blond, but the eyes, they were like her eyes and her face was like hers. If she had blond hair she would look like her. She walked back to the other pictures looking at the father of this man who was like his son in so many ways physically, tall, dark, and imposing, his mother was a sweet gentle looking woman who looked upon her with kind and sympathetic eyes. Then there was his brother. She took her time in front of his portrait. She just could not go look at the one that looked too much like her.

“Who is Paul?” Strahd asked walking up behind her, placing his arms around her waist to pull her back against his body. Every time he drew her close she could feel his arousal and she was afraid of him and his reaction to her body close to his. She swallowed a hard knot in her throat. She was not prepared to talk about him. She wanted to brush off the name and turned walking back to the other side of the room. ‘It bothers you to talk about him why?” He had found she was uneasy when he brought up Paul’s name.

She looked down and sighed, “He was someone I thought I was falling in love with a long time ago, and then he found someone else and well he calls her name in his sleep. So he is not important any more to me. He certainly should be no concern for you.” She turned with a defiant glare into his gaze and then lowered her eyes.

“You lie, you still have feelings for him or you would not look away from me when we talk about him. Then who is Cody, the ranger who guards you? What are you feelings for him? He looks so much like Sergei and apparently so does this Paul, you said his name when you saw Sergei’s portrait, both men who look like my brother, and one has to wonder did you go to Cody because he reminds you of Paul?” She did not want to answer him but if she wanted to keep Cody safe she had to think of something.

“If I told you I am not from this time, that I am from a far distant future brought through some kind of portal to this time to be put with Cody, would you believe me?” she had grown distant with her thoughts this had to work. She glanced up to see his reaction. He was thinking about what she had said and he was not shocked or ready to have her locked up for lunacy.

“Go on.” He encouraged her to finish her tale studying her every nuance as she spoke and he could tell at this point she was telling him the truth.

“I was at a party in the mountains of the country from which I come, which is a powerful one of the most powerful countries in the world I come from. We, Paul and myself had gone to the garden to get to know one another, the area around where when had gone suddenly shifted and changed and because fog enshrouded and I found ourselves in this unforgiving land. Paul was gone and I was with Cody. He promised me he would protect me while I was here he would protect me and get me home to my time and my home. Cody looks a lot like Paul, so I would think that somewhere in his family line he was descended from Cody.” She shrugged lightly dropped her gaze locking her fingers together to keep from visibly trembling in front of him.

He studied her and what she said was possible and it could be he had no competition with Paul in this distant future she was here with him now and he was going to make sure she stayed with him here. Walking to her side, he hooked his arm around her shoulders, “Come with me, I want to show you something.” He was sure that once she saw what he had prepared for her to see, she would be more willing for him to set their wedding date. “I have someone I want you to meet.” He smiled and there was no humor in his smile.

 

Lower Levels of the Dungeons  
Castle Ravenloft

Strahd led her along the narrow confines of the seep block steps, the further then went the more the air became filled with the smell of death and blood. M’lar covered her mouth with her hand trying to keep from throwing up. Strahd handed her his kerchief. “I bathed it in rose oil, it should help.” She had to stop she felt her stomach revolt and she was going to throw up. Turning she walked back a couple of steps leaned over and threw up what little she had on her stomach. Strahd allowed her privacy to be indelicate in front of him. Wiping her mouth she wished she had something to rise the taste out of her mouth and was surprised when he cantriped the taste out of her mouth and the air as less disagreeable.

Leading her into the torturers domain he pointed to a cage overhead, M’lar looked up and saw a figure lying on his stomach, Strahd turned to the torturer and nodded, he lowered the cage and M’lar blanched, the man in that cage was beaten to a pulp and he wore Cody’s clothing. “NO!” M’lar rushed forward only to feel her arm jerked back and she was held by Strahd. M’lar looked at the broken body of the man in the cage and then to Strahd, “What are you doing to him you monster, let him go!” She curled her fists into a ball and pounded on his chest and began to cry dropping to her knees at his feet. Strahd lifted her in his arms and carried her back to their room.

He let her sob hysterically against his chest, her eyes closed until they got to their room. There he dropped her on the bed and walked to the window overlooking the deadly mists swirling around and protecting the castle, he waited for her sobbing to stop and then he smiled. “Now you are ready to listen and be agreeable?” He glanced over at the pitiful figure huddled in a ball on their bed. “I will stop his punishment, and will not feed him to one of my nobles if you agree to marry me.” He turned fully to look at her figure on the bed, then he walked to the bed and sat beside her and gently pulled her hair from her face.

Even splotched by her tears she was still beautiful. “My darling, take up and embrace who you are, join me in my life be my bride.” M’lar kept her back to him, sniffing she rubbed her nose with her palm to keep it from itching.

When she spoke her voice was soft and filled with the emotions of her passion for Cody. “If I promise to be your wife, if I promise to turn my back on Cody, will you just let him go? Will you quit beating him? Just let him live and let him go and I will do whatever you ask of me.” She rolled onto her back and looked into those cold dark black eyes.

“If I ask you to love me, be my wife, marry me in a public wedding and then later join me for eternity will you pledge yourself to me as such?” He watched the emotions of that decision to wash over her entire body and the flush of her emotions was wrestling with the heart and her mind. “I will give you one week to make your decision.”

“I want to see him, one last time and then if I promise to do this. Will you allow him to live and let him leave? Take him to the borders and let him leave.” She looked at him with hope in her gaze and with a feeling she may have pushed him too far.

He smiled, “I am not a monster, I will let you visit with him one last time, but you must convince him that he is to leave you and not try to seek you out is that understood?” He watched her head move slowly in an affirmative and he stood.

“Please heal him he looked nearly dead, please let him be heal, allow me to heal him but please if I agree to all you ask, please do this one last thing and I will convince him that there is nothing between us and he must leave.” He watched her nod again and he was ready to begin his next part of his plan.

Standing he walked to the door and closed it locking it behind him. Now it was time to assume the physical appearance of Cody, healed somewhat and ready to come and face his lady love. He waited for the spell to affect his overall appearance and then he nodded to the guards to take him to the room that held his Tatyana. The play was in motion and now he needed to know the depth of her love for this one called Cody.

M’lar paced the bedroom floor she turned hearing the door open and they threw Cody into the room, he staggered and fell to his knees and she rushed to him and embraced him. “Oh God Cody! “ She pushed his hair back and peered into his eyes and saw the pain there. The bruises were nearly healed from what she had seen earlier and the fact he said he would heal him and let her see him filled her heart with everything that was her goodness for this man that she held in her arms. He smiled bravely into her gaze and he saw her heart melt at that smile. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply and she returned the kiss with as much passion as she could muster.

Lifting her and carrying her to the bed, he laid her there and she watched him undress and lay next to her, “We have so little time before they come for me my darling, let us say our goodbyes and let me feel our bodies entwined together one last time before I face my death.” He had spoken so differently from what she was used to hearing him speak but she was caught up in what he had said.

“You are not going to die, I made a deal for your life Cody. We will not be seeing one another again. Do you understand what I am saying? I am going to marry him and in exchange he is going to let you live and you will be given escort out of Barovia to another place, you must continue your quest. Forget about me and save yourself.” He kissed her deeply to shut her up and in that moment he allowed his passion to take over and he began to make love to her and the feel of his love making was so much different than what she had experienced with him before. She would have questioned it but she was afraid they would be interrupted before they could finished their last good byes.

The lovemaking had been centered on his wishing to fulfill his needs and not pleasing her, which is how Cody had always made love to her. He wanted to make sure she had enjoyed their loving time together as much as he appreciated being with her. Then she remembered she was not Shirley, so maybe that was why he was making love to her this way, in a rush to complete the act and to satisfy himself before he was to be hustled out of Barovia? She tried very much to enjoy their last moments together but could not shake the feeling this was so different. When the act was completed and he laid on top of her kissing he neck and whispering how much he loved her in her ear a part of her told her this was not right.

Dressing he stood and sighed and looked out the window and in that moment a part of that act was so very much like Strahd that she felt she was with him and not Cody, but she held her council on these thoughts to herself and she stood and dressed. “I am going to tell you something Cody, and I want you to listen to me and not try to stop what I am about to say.” She watched him with his back to her. He was watching out the window. You are to leave here and not look back, do not try to come back for me. Do not try to rescue me. I have made this decision to secure your freedom. Do not let my sacrifice go for no reason by returning and getting killed.”

He turned and smiled, the image of Cody shifted and faded and Strahd stood triumphant looking at her. “Now I see you really mean what you say, I shall not kill the ranger, I shall see him healed and I will let you have your one last good bye but not like this. What you need to understand, I hold your life and his life in the palm of my hand and with a flick of my finger I can snuff out his life and take what I want regardless of your pleas for his life. You belong to me Tatyana accept it and move on and forget the ranger. You are mine from now until the end of time. Never forget what I own and what I call my own are one in the same thing and those that try to take what is mine do not end well. Think on that.” He turned and walked from the room to allow her to dress.

M’lar wanted to bathe, she had allowed herself to be duped by his magic and she would never make that mistake again, she would know when it was Cody taking her body and not that monster. She curled up by the bed and wanted to set it on fire, she was sickened because of what just happened was almost as bad as the gang rape she had endured those many years ago in her own time. Once again her trust had been violated and she had paid the price then and now it would seem she would pay the price now. The door opened and Aria walked into the room, she looked with sympathy upon the poor woman that sat huddled on the floor.

M’lar pushed herself up from the floor and walked to the window and tried to open it to find it was wizard locked. She sighed deeply and leaned against the window. “Aria may I please get a bath? I am not feeling well and I wish to go to bed.” She turned her back on the young woman, folding her arms across her chest. She wanted the feel of him, his touch washed from her body and she wanted to curl up in bed and sleep and not think about what had just happened she wanted to be with Cody, she did not want to feel these emotions that were rushing through her body.

Aria stepped to her side and gently touched her shoulder to watch her flinch that was when Aria knew; the master had placed his brand on her and had claimed his husband’s rights before the wedding. “I shall run your bath my lady. I will get your gown out and get you ready for bed, but you really should eat a little something before you sleep. If you don’t eat you will become ill.” She wondered if this night was the night the master’s ultimate plan had been put in place, she wondered if this coupling was going to produce the child that Strahd had wanted with this woman.

Turning Aria brought out the gown she had selected for her mistress to wear to bed this night and walked to the bathing chambers. Preparing her a bath, she led M’lar to the bathing room helped her undress and then turned and sent for a tray of food. When Aria left the room, M’lar broke down in tears and began to cry and wash her body with the cloth, swearing that she would never be his wife, she could not be his wife. Closing her eyes she felt ill. She thought she would be sick again and took deep breaths to let them out slowly, she had resolved that she would do as she had heard Tatyana had done she would escape and if she had to she would throw herself from the battlements too.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 18

Double AA Tavern and Inn

Cody sat at the cramped small desk and wrote more in his diary, he was chronicling his adventures and the loss of M’lar. Every time he thought of her he got a warm feeling that feel into a depression he was missing her more than he thought was possible. Thinking of their last night together had been more than just sex, or a need to release the tension between them. It had not been consoling time it had not been another excuse to just share their bodies, it had been a blending of their bodies to make them into one. It had been far more special than any other time and he smiled, the touching was gentle, unconsciously given and received. The receiving had been pleasurably sweet and tender to the point they both had ridden the highs of their passions together and released that moment of charged emotions as one, when they had laid spent and exhausted in each other’s arms, the swell of the love that had blended had gone unnoticed because it had seemed so natural.

With quill to paper he wrote of these thoughts, these emotions and when he finished his entry he wrote, “And in that moment, with all her defenses down, with all she was she shared her soul with me and I with her. I think I saw to the pit of her soul and recognized that she was no longer afraid to give to me what was most precious to her and that was herself. The next time and I pray that I know there will be a next time we are together, I shall no longer hide who and what I am from her. We will be bonded and we will know love for each other in the truest sense of the word.’ Cody sat back waiting for the ink to dry. Looking to the door as the pressure in the room changed and Multan walked into the room, he paused.

“Come lad we have a paid mission to complete before the sun sets and the mists surround us near the boarders of Barovia and Castle Ravenloft. We need to take a token from Aloysius to the gypsies the guard the dark lord; this assures us their protection for this inn in the night mists. While there we will get a potion several if we are lucky that will allow us to survive the mists at night if we scale the walls to seek out our little priestess.” Now get your leathers up and grab your weapons it is easily a four hour ride, and dusk well come in ten, be glad this is the long cycle of the season. Now hurry along and make it quick, I have the horses ready to ride.”

Multan turned grabbing his sword and closing the door. Standing he walked quickly to the door grabbing his bag of holding pausing only for a moment to run his hand with loving care over the one that had been M’lar’s. “I come for you my love, I come just hold hope that I come for you.” He walked to the stairs and down to the common area, where he paused and watched Multan grab a bag and turn to walk with him to their horses. Mounting up, Multan seated the bag that jingled with the feel of heavy coin and he smiled.

“I promised you a grand adventure lad. You are about to meet people you never knew existed and they trust no gorger, so be prepared to stand before them unafraid because they can smell fear and they know it when they look in your eyes. They have faced the undead and they have gained its trust. Now off with you and let us be done with this day so we can make it closer to bringing our girl home!” He laughed and turned kicking his horse into a gallop. They rode off towards the city’s limits and followed a deer trail through the wood, past a few farmhouses to a forest that lay thick with foliage and the smell of dead and dying humus. The smell was a well-known one for Cody. It called to his ranger nature.

Riding in silence for the first hour, Cody took the time to get the lay of the land and the feel for it and it was a sad land that needed healing. Riding towards a small hamlet they stopped at mid-day to take a break and what Cody did not realize but Multan did was the word had gone out at their approach that Multan the Murdering Sell Sword was going to the Vistani and was seeking council with the wise one. He had not told Cody because he did not want him to react when they came to bring them to the vardo and the old one that would be able to tell them what was happening at Castle Ravenloft.

It was a pretty little town with white washed huts, a blacksmith and a general store. Set to the south near a little stream was a comfortably large building that proclaimed to be a Tavern and Inn. “We go there and wait.” Multan leaned over to speak softly to Cody. “Now, I warn you that what is about to happen, make no sudden moves to draw weapon or we both could be killed. Do you understand me lad?” Multan looked around and then back to Cody, his tanned face and his now cleanly kept black beard matched the blackness of his eyes and it was for the first time that Cody noticed, that Multan was no ordinary sell sword he bore the coloring of the travelers, the folk that used the mists to travel through and fold into time. He was in fact one of these people that were about to help them go to Ravenloft.

Taking up a position in the common room of the Inn, Cody ordered an ale and hunkered over his tankard, with his arms folded around the ale and on the table. He curved his back over is drink and let his gaze travel the room. These people were a part of those that were called gypsies; these people were living a good life in this hamlet and allowing others to join if they passed their test of trust. Multan sat down across from Cody with his drink and he like Cody hunkered over his ale, with his arms resting on the table mimicking the easy relaxed look that was being portrayed by Cody. “Now, Gelato will come in about five minutes and take me to Grand’Mere, you will be escorted with me and do not do anything that would be considered an aggressive move understand?”

Cody nodded, he just wanted to know if M’lar was still alive and what was happening, he wanted his woman and he would do anything short of selling his soul to get her back. “You said Grand’ Mere, is she related to you?” He lifted the mug with one hand sipped and sat it back down if they would have to do anything that required quick thought he would need to be alert and not muddled with grog. Putting the mug back around the wet ring it had formed he waited with Multan until they felt the air shift and the door open. A large man in baggy trousers, a jerkin shirt, with a belt tied around his waist and several knives in the belt walked into the room. Around his head he wore a black bandana with coins sewn into the headband part. His black mustache was thick and his eyes like his mustache were black and shifting about looking around the room.

 

Outside the Village of the Damned

Others dressed in like manner soon joined the one that Cody assumed was Gelato. Cody watched him motion to the man on his right to go to Multan and the Ranger. Speaking in a soft guttural voice he nodded and waited. Luka joined by Hanzi walked to Multan. “Come she wishes a word with you.” Luka waited for Multan to rise, which he did with his hands away from his body. Hanzi nudged Cody. “Come lad me Grand’Mere is interested in you too. She wants to read your soul and your eyes.” Cody stood slowly, and like Multan kept his hands away from his belt or body. Together the two men escorted by Gelato, Hanzi, Luka, Stefan, Plunko, and Emilan out the door.

“What . . . ?” Cody was silenced by a single look from Multan and a shake of Multan’s head for silence immediately shut down Cody’s question and he fell silent to watch what would play out. Both men were lead into the woods away from the hamlet to the deepest part of the woods. They were within one hundred yards to the encampment when Cody could smell the scent of wood burning and something cooking over the fire. With the thickness of the wood he worried that something might catch on fire until they broke the wood line.

He saw there was a natural break in the woods and allowed for several large covered wagons to sit in a circle around wood burning fires outside of each wagon, and on each spit something cooked to a tender brown. Some children scattered and hid behind the full skirts of their mothers as the men escorted the two strangers into the circle. Multan stopped in the center of the circle spread his feet shoulder length a apart, folded his hands wrists crossed behind his back and tucked his chin in a bow. “Grand’Mere I have come with a gift!” He waited and Cody watched.

From one of the vardo’s a small figure bent and slow, walked down the steps with the use of a thick piece of reinforced brown vine, her knurled knuckles gripped the head of the cane tightly, her head covered in a bandana of brightly colored purple material. Her white blouse was laden with jewelry that jingled with each step she took. Her boney wrists bore several gold and silver bracelets, her eyes however are what caught Cody’s attention, and they were wide and a deep blue. Her smile was genuine as she looked upon her grandson. Speaking in soft tender terms she said, “nepotul meu iubit.” Patting his cheek. Multan smiled lifting his chin he looked with love into the old woman’s eyes and spoke as tenderly as she had.

“și inima mea este pentru tine bunica mea iubita.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Come let us converse in the ways of the gorger so my friend the Ranger may know that we are not blood thirsty monsters like the ones that killed off my men and took his woman.” Cody had lowered his chin in supplication and waited for notice.

The old woman hobbled over to him, lifted his chin and peered into his gaze. “So you are the one that brought back the love of the Dark Master’s life, it is she that now lives in the house of the dead and is under his control.” Cody’s head snapped up and he looked stricken. “It is not too late my dear boy, come to Magda’s house and let me read the cards and your hand, then we will know what is to be and what can be done.” She turned and waddled slowly back to her vardo. Cody was feeling his heart beat fast in his chest, what if he was too late for her, for him, for all he had hoped to be with her. What if she were a part of that undead? Would he be forced to take her head and burn her body, had he totally failed her?” He did not know. But he was about to find out.

Multan relaxed and accepted a mug from the elder that had come up to clap him on the back. “Come brother let us drink while Momma does what she does best.” He walked away with a backwards wink to Cody. Cody watched the old woman enter the vardo and he followed her waiting for her to sit. “You learn well your manners young one come let Momma look at you, sit.” She seated her arthritic body to the comfortable chair that looked very much like her bed, her chair for eating or anything else she wished to do in this small conveyance.

She held out her hand in front of the small table she now sat and nodded to the chair across from her. “Sit, give me your hands.” Cody had to hunker down because he was so tall his head would have hit the top of the vardo. Folding his long body into the chair he prayed it would hold his weight and was surprised by how sturdy it was. The old woman sat forward and held out her hands. “Give to me palms up.” Cody hesitated and then gently laid his hands in her frail ones that also showed surprising strength. “Hmmm short life line in another life all together.” She looked at his right palm and then took her finger and traced another line in his left hand and frowned then looked at his left palm and traced another line her tongue began to click. “Much dark magic is at work here, your life ended here.” She poked his right hand and the short line in the center of his palm. “Here, you live a long life, a woman is responsible for this life. She keeps you alive, she is a part that is missing but she belongs to another time too and to another of this time that is going to make her life even longer. “

She shifted her slight body weight and frowned deeper, “I see here two children, a dark influence and a light one to balance the dark one. You are a father no?” She glanced up to see the look of shock on his face and him slowly shaking his head no. She smiled and cupped his hand and patted it in hers. You will be once you find love you will find you are to be a father, of two.” She nodded slowly. “You both are out of time and out of place, but if you go back you die, and she marries another and you will never know true love. You will only know loneliness and death. We look at the cards now to see what this really means.” She sat back and reached into a deep bag draped over the side of her chair and pulled out a decks of large cards. She set the cards in front of them and she waited and so did he.

To his amazement the cards began to shuffle themselves and then slowly they began to turn and the old woman leaned over the cards with a deep frown. “A lot of death in your life since you came here. You have been hiding the truth from the one you love.” She studied each card as the deck turned over one card at a time laying the cards out in a pinwheel, making what she was beginning to say was a circle of life. “She belongs to another and he is not going to let her go. She is afraid and alone and she thinks you betrayed her.”

This struck Cody hard, how would, she think that and as if reading his thoughts she brought out a mirror and laid it on the table in the center of the wheel. “Show.’ She commanded the mirror and the mirror began to vibrate on the table and the image began to curve ripple and shift to an image of him and M’lar just after they had made love and he fell asleep, his amulet fell off next to him and he began to have his nightmare. He called out Shirley’s name and his face crumpled seeing the look of shock and disbelief on her face. “You called out to another after making sweet love to your woman, she does not know what to think you touched her and shared with her like that and then you in your deep sleep called out another’s name. She thinks you make love to her and want another.” She waved her hand over the cards and they began to shuffle again and reform to that of a stacked deck.

“You have much work to do, because she is not an undead, he wants her alive and of the living long enough to give him a child, she already has two children in her womb, one that is yours the other that is his. As long as she is fertile she will be of use for him to make his special new breed of undead. He wants a son that is a day walker so that he may use his blood to slowly change his blood and make him a demon of the daylight that should be on the night.” The old woman looked tired sat back and sighed deeply. “You need a draught to get you through the mists that surround the castle, they are poisonous to those that try to enter the castle at night, during the day you will never get close enough to that castle. You listen to Multan my sweet grandson will teach you when to go and bring out your M’lar, and he will help protect you both.” She closed her eyes and appeared to have fallen asleep.

Cody thought the reading and meeting him had taken too much out of her and he was concerned for her well-being. He leaned forward to shake her and found his hand grabbed by the wrist by a huge white wolf that had laid under the table at her feet, the blue eyes locked to his face and the teeth held his wrist in place. Cody nodded to the wolf. “I was just worried.” The wolf released his wrist and the body of the wolf began to shimmer and that of a beautiful young woman with dark skin and long raven hair tipped with white appeared before him naked and defiant.

“No one touches Grand’Mere after she is done reading. Come, you need to go out of this place and get my brother to take you back before the sun sets, the dark master of this land will be sending someone to bring you to him to hurt your lady love.” She turned and pulled on a long robe over her naked body and turned back pulling her hair out from the large robe. Stepping around Cody whom made the room feel small with his large body and height, stood stooped shoulder and tried not to knock over the table as he turned follow the girl to the door and stepped out to see that Multan sat by a fire with several of the camp elders. “Eleandra! My sweet baby sister! Come give your brother a huge hug!” The girl smiled and ran towards her brother and jumped up in his arms hugging his neck and placing feather light kisses over his face.

“BROTHER!” She had squealed like a young girl, and then she began to slap him on his shoulders and beat her fists on his back. “You are gone too long this time! You made us think you had died!” She quick pummeling him and wiggled for him to put her down. “Take the tall one and take these, you will need them if you are to breach the castle to find her.” Eleandra pulled out six vials of dark liquid, which Multan pocketed in his jacket. “Now you must go before the sun sets.” She stepped back and began to shift and shimmer and the robe fell over the body of the giant white wolf.

“You are more wolf than sister sometimes little one.” He turned to Cody and laughed, “Come we must go she is right we do not need the mists or the undead to greet us after nightfall.” Bending he rubbed his big hand over the head of the big white wolf. Turning he did not need escort out of the circle of vardos he just needed to get them back to the Inn and on the road. He had delivered what he needed and his job was done and he had obtained gold from both sides. Now all he needed was a plan and after talking with Warta he knew what they needed to do and he needed to get back to the AA Inn to begin the next leg of their quest.

The ride back Cody had to digest what he heard earlier, he was a father? No she could not have children, she told him about the accident with a flipped out inmate that kicked her so hard that it crushed her tube and ovary, and then she got shot and lost the other one so that would be impossible, could she be talking about Shirley she did tell everyone she was pregnant and then when she went to jail and finally prison she wrote him one last time and said she had his babies in prison and gave them away. He knew that could not be right he would have been told by the courts she was pregnant and they would not give away the children without his consent.

“What did the old woman tell you?” Multan was watching the shadows turn liquid in the woods while they road back, the shadows seemed to be avoiding the sunlight that wanted to filter down and through the clouds. He was relaxed in the saddle and his horse knew it because his head bobbed with each hoof fall put down on the hard road’s surface.

“I was a father or going to be that M’lar was pregnant. But that is impossible. Multan she is sterile, she had a serious accident years ago and they had to remove those parts of her body. She kept having miscarriages with her husband and finally she had this huge fight and was hurt there. So it can’t be right.” He heard Multan laugh.

“What are you talking about boy? Years ago? You make her sound old, when in fact she has regenerated her body, if you regenerate your body, you regenerate everything, so if she did that then I can assure you it is possible that she is pregnant and from the amount of play time you had with her, I am sure she is now exposed to you and the ability to produce children. Now what else did she say?” Multan was busy formulating a plan he had put Aloysius on the mission to find out what he could about what was happening at Castle Ravenloft and a way to get them through the gates and into the castle.

Cody had to think about this, did he just hear right, he was stunned he was right if you regenerate the cells of your body anything that was missing or damage would be regenerated too. She was pregnant, a child of the light and a child of the dark to hold the balance. He felt a punch on his shoulder and shook his head and blushed, yes he blushed, he was a daddy, and she was pregnant with his child or children. “Well what did Grandma say?” Multan was watching the expression on his face and he smiled widely and wanted to buy cigars and find her and kiss her and tell her how much he loved her.

“She said that she is carrying two children, a child of light and a child of darkness that the two will hold the balance. She also said that as long as Strahd thinks he can get her pregnant with his children she will not be brought over to the land of the undead but be used to help him build a new type of vampire one that can walk in daylight. But how is this possible? He is dead he is a vampire.” Cody was having trouble processing all he had just learned and then it dawned on him, Strahd was still a man, and he was half alive and half dead. That meant he had the body functions of a man and he was capable of reproducing. The thought of him touching her soured him and he looked down the road. This was going to get more complicated than even he had thought.

“He is a man during the night me lad, he can have reactions to a beautiful woman so he can do the things a man can do in that respect and he can produce children. He has the dark arts of magic behind him too so he could make her ovulate to allow his seed to procreate with her. Just saying we need to pick up the pace and get back to the Hamlet as soon as possible. I got an idea of what we might do and I got the draught that will be needed to get past the mists if we get caught.” Multan kicked his horse and put him into a full gallop the sun was starting to lower more into the west and he wanted to be in the town before it went down and those shadows suddenly made it hard for them to live.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 19

Castle Ravenloft

M’lar set in the soft sunlight that filtered through the back drop for the portrait for which she was being forced to pose. She was feeling tired, the dress had to weigh easily thirty pounds. She had sat in one position for so long she felt her butt was going numb but she wanted it done and over. “My dear Princess Tatyana, can you not at least pretend you are excited and happy for this marriage? Your eyes show strain and sadness, and your face is set indifference to your impending nuptials. The Count will not be happy.” M’lar had always felt she should be gracious to those around her but to sit for this portrait that would take the place of the pretty blond lady over the mantle was a bit much for her. Shifting her shoulders she shifted her hips and it sent the dress she wore into a flutter of disarray.

“No! No! No! Aria! Come fix your mistress so we may continue to paint this portrait, the count wants it ready for the wedding!” The artist that was painting the portrait was very fastidious and a bit over dominating when it came to his subjects. He was beside himself with anxiety that if he did not paint the picture right his master might order his head taken from his shoulders. He was a little domineering when it came to this particular portrait, he remembered what had happened to Donolie when he had painted the Countess Natalie’s portrait and the Countess was not amused by his depiction of her cold and calculating look that had come over her when Strahd had entered the room. He had shown too much of her real nature and she had thought she had kept it hidden. Poor Donolie was sentenced to face the mists at dusk and he died immediately.

His death was such a waste of talent. Now he looked at the woman that had sat for him for nearly ten hours this day and had sat quiet and withdrawn for him the day before for almost ten hours, if he could get one more ten hour day he was sure he could finish this and have it cured by the wedding. He noticed that the banns had been posted and the various town dignitaries had been sending various gifts for the happy couple. M’lar stood while Aria brushed out the wrinkles in the wedding gown. The beading alone was beginning to pull against her resolve to sit quietly and the fact she had not slept for nearly two days since the horrific lie portrayed on her by Strahd she had been feeling physically ill.

Standing she felt her world tilt and Aria gasped as her mistress suddenly collapsed in a heap of her dress and jewels at her feet. “Milord Heinrik! Help me please!” She turned afraid that her mistress had fainted and may have injured herself in the fall. Heinrik rushed forward to help lift her and carry her to the sofa by the inside wall out of the sunlight. He began to pat her hand and then lightly her face.

“My dear open those incredible eyes, look at me please. You must not do this, the lord will think I did it and I could be put to death open your eyes!” He was beside himself with his anxiety and the fear he had caused this malaise. Aria rushed to get a glass of cool water and came back and pressed it to her lips, M’lar opened her eyes she felt horrible, and the water was helping her somewhat, she had not realized how dehydrated she had allowed herself to become. Taking the glass she drank it down in gulps and sighed when she finished looking up at Aria.

“Thank you Aria, and I am sorry Mr. Heinrik, but I am not feeling well, may we please take a break so I might lie down for a little while. I have not slept well for a couple of days and frankly, this is gown is very heavy and its making me fatigued.” Heinrik nodded and smiled, “I think for now I have enough that I might be able to finish this before the wedding, it is getting late and I am sure the master will be coming soon.” He turned back to the portrait and wanted to get as much done while he still had the light to add what he needed to add. Aria helped M’lar to the bedroom and quickly undressed her so she could lie down. Closing the drapes she covered her mistress and crept from the room.

M’lar was exhausted and she tried very hard to force herself to fall asleep. Drifting off she found peace in her dream world, she could see Cody’s face, hear his voice and he kept telling her to hang in there he would be there soon. Not to give up hope, this dream allowed her to relax and her features relaxed and she formed a smile I her sleep, something that Strahd found when he entered the room and look upon her sleeping so peacefully. Slipping his clothing off he slid into bed scooping her into his arms, he whispered softly in her ear, “I am here my love, make love to me.” He had shifted his form so that he looked like Cody, once again he felt her body turn to butter in his arms and he senses her capitulation to his needs and his desires as she gave her body and her soft whispered words of love to him. He took advantage of the time to make sure she ovulated and he tried again to make sure that she was capable of becoming pregnant as he made love to her.

When he had finished he had whispered to her, “Sleep my love, and when you awaken you will be hungry and you will eat, for tonight you will rest. I shall just hold you until the dawn.” He gently kissed her forehead and once again she spoke that name the one that made him angry.  
“Yes my love, oh Paul I need you so much.” She had said his name with such tenderness that he was prepared to erase the man’s name and image from her mind. He felt jealous and angry that this Paul could hold her thoughts even after such a betrayal she had confessed had occurred.

“Listen to my voice, Tatyana, remember my voice now. You will forget Paul. I order you to forget him. You will remember Cody, the Ranger. However, you will forget Paul. He does not exist he betrayed you and he left you to die in a land that is unforgiving so you will forget Paul, do you hear me?” He felt her resistance and then she sighed and she nodded.

“I will forget Paul, he betrayed me as Cody betrayed me, and they all betrayed me.” She muttered in her delusional sleep now enhanced by Strahd’s dark magic. She curled into his hold and snuggled closer, something she had grown in habit of doing when she slept next to Cody. Strahd capitalized on her vulnerability and held her long enough to feel the need to take her once again, and he did. While she slept he made love to her and finally as the night grew longer and the daylight hours would be upon them, he spoke softly in her ear. “Sleep today my little one tomorrow we will have guests and you will be expected to meet and greet them.” He kissed her one more time and regretfully released her to her sleep. Getting dressed, he stood, his need to feed was upon him and he walked from her room, the last thing he needed was to feed on her, not when there was the possibility that she might be with child.

 

Next Day late afternoon

M’lar rolled over hugging her pillow. She had the most glorious dream she and Cody were together in a huge room with a comfortable bed and he had made love to her most the night. She smiled thinking about how tender he had been, then she felt the wetness that had dried sticky to her leg and she sat up and looked around, she was not with Cody she was here in this castle with him. She quickly exited the bed and went to the bowl of water and began to wash herself, she did not want anything of him on her. She certainly did not want his touch on her body. She ripped the gown from her body and threw it on the floor and looked around the room, the fire was starting to die down and she lifted the gown and threw it on the fire. “NO, I will not let this happen! I will not! ARIA!” She called out in a panic, grabbing a sheet from the foot of the bed she drug it around her body and waited for the guards to come and open the door.

Aria rushed to the door waited for the door to be unlocked and entered the room. The servant girl rushed in seeing how upset her mistress was. Curtsying to her she spoke quickly, “Yes?”

“Prepare my bath now and get me something to wear and something to eat, I am ravenous.” She was shocked to hear that she was hungry with as upset as she was. Aria nodded smiled tightly and turned to go to the bathing chambers to draw her a bath and prepare the water. M’lar was controlling her anger and her tears while she waited for the bath to be drawn, she watched Aria scurry about the room, finding a gown to dress her mistress in and to order the cook to bring up a tray of food. M’lar walked to the window to peer out, she wanted to be bathed and dressed before he came into this bedroom again.

“Aria is there any other bed chambers other than Strahd’s that I might occupy while I await my marriage to him?” She turned to see the woman turn in the process of laying out her clothing and shake her head.

“The master was specific he said this was to be your room during the day and night and his room at night. Your bath is ready my lady why not allow me to undress you from your gown.” M’lar walked into the bathing chambers and let the sheet slide from her body.

“It won’t be necessary I am already undressed.” She stepped into the water and began to scrub her body clean from his touch. She wanted every visage of his touching her gone. Sliding down in the water she closed her eyes and she gave in to her tears of frustration and her fears. She was beginning to think she would never get out of here, she was not going to become one of them and if she had to end her life she would do it. Sliding under the water she blotted out all the noise around her and the muffled words of Aria while she laid out all the items she would need to dress her mistress and her hair.

M’lar opened her eyes in the clear water and stayed for as long as her lungs could allow, then she sat up and finally she felt clean again. Stepping out of the rub, she walked into the warmth of the towel that Aria held open for her. Grabbing the towel she pulled it around her body and glanced to the sun it was setting. “Please hurry Aria I want to be dressed and I want to eat.” She almost added before the monster comes to check on her. Aria was pleased the mistress was showing more life and seemed to be in a hurry to see their master. She dressed her in a gold and blue gown of royal markings. The huge puffed shoulders braided in gold leafing sculpted to accept bell sleeves, with drop and opened at the elbow, the days coat was blue with gold embellishments. The heavy satin under dress accented with the blue markings of the dress complimented the gown. Curling her hair she placed the gold crown over her head.

Stepping back she gently turned M’lar so she could see her image in the mirror. “Now you are ready, why not eat something before you join the Master for dinner tonight the surrounding towns are sending their Mayors to pay tribute to you and your upcoming wedding ceremony, they will not be like the nobles you met a few days ago, they are as I said, the Mayors of the towns. It is time for tribute and they wish to bring gifts to the new Princess. So you will be expected to sit at the Master’s side and receive the gifts and tributes from the towns that are the closets to the castle.

“How long will this be happening?” M’lar played with her fingers and looked down at them laced together on her stomach which was rebelling because she was hungry. Aria sat her on the stood and set the table with the tray in front of her and she opened the chafing dishes and looked at the pulled pork and the fruit and cheese. Picking up various pieces that interested her she looked at Aria.

“As we have over 150 mayors that will be attending you will expect this to go on for the next two weeks easily. The closer ones will come first then the ones the next shires over will come and then the distant ones will take a week to come and pay their tributes, they are the wealthier ones. It will be very exciting and the castle will be alight with dances and gaiety while you and the Master greet them all.” M’lar felt the familiar knot in her stomach that threatened to choke her throat. Swallowing hard she wiped her fingertips on the napkin and stood and walked to the window, with the sun’s setting and like clockwork, the door opened and Aria scurried out of the room leaving Strahd with M’lar.

“How utterly charming and beautiful you look this evening my dear, come we have guests to welcome.” He watched her back stiffen and he frowned, “You are upset why?” He walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders and felt her draw away from him recoiling from his touch.

“I would like my own room my lord, I no longer feel safe or secure in this room. As we are to be married in a few three weeks the least we can do is live separate at night from each other.” She turned her eyes were glistening with anger and her cheeks were flushed with her outrage. Stradh watched her half amused and narrowed his eyes.

“If you wish your own quarters I will arrange it tomorrow, however you will sleep here and you will accept whatever affection I chose to lavish on you. You will learn to accept my touch Tatyana, you are mine, and you belong to me. You can forget about your Ranger, once we are wed, I will have him executed and you will stand and watch.” He grabbed her and swung her around and jerked her to the door. “The sooner you get used to the idea you will be my wife.” He paused turned and leaned into her face, the anger was beginning to heighten his color, and he pressed up into her face. “The easier it will be on all of us. Now you will act like the Princess you are, you will smile when I say smile and you will play this as if this is both of our ideas or so help me I will have your boyfriend brought here and he will be the night’s entertainment. I will feed him to my nobles and allow you to watch. Do you understand?” He had clipped off each word and watched her shy back and blink with each word uttered, he could smell the fear in her and it was palatable. He also saw the sting of tears bite at her over bright eyes.

“Good I see you understand. You are mine Tatyana, you will always be mine, and until you learn to accept it you will find I can be very demanding and cruel. When you understand what I expect then you will find I can be very loving.” Jerking her hand he cruelly shoved it through his arm and under his breath he ordered, “Smile, we are about to meet the mayors of the tier of my lands.” He jerked her against him and pulled her down the hallway.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story is co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 20

AAs Inn

Multan rode hard into the center of the town directly to the stables and flung the reins to the boy who was busy closing down the windows and doors. Cody had followed ad at a more leisurely pace dismounted. The boy took the reins and led the horses to a stall. Looking around Cody could see there was a cross everywhere there was an entrance. Cody also observed that there were holy symbols that were obviously anointed by holy water hanging over the doors and windows. “Come on lad we have to make a run for the Inn, the sun has set and right now we are very vulnerable.” The boy reached into the corner and pulled out silver knives. Handing one to Cody and one to Multan he took up position by the door and waited for the single. “Now when I say run, you head directly for the front door of AA’s and into the building, I will have your back and if something swoops down on you lift the blade up and stab it! You know the pointy end goes in first!” He chuckles nodded to the boy who opened the door.

Cody darted out the door and the moment he was out the door, there was from overhead a swarm of bats with pointy teeth, red glowing eyes darting right for him. Ducking his head he ran as fast as he could to the door of the Inn watching for the door to open, several of the bats swooped down on him and he waved the silver knife over his head and hit one feeling it dart away quickly with a squeal. From behind Multan waved a torch and followed Cody up the stairs and into the Inn with the door opening once then again allowing Cody in first and then Multan. Cody brushed the back of his neck and pulling off one of the hairy creatures, the innkeeper grabbed it by the neck and threw it out the door. “I hate those bat spies.” Aloysius said with disgust. Cody slumped into a chair and sighed, he brushed his hand over his neck and found he was bleeding.

“Not to worry lad, they just want blood and they come out after dark, nothing breathing is safe except for Grand’Mere’s camp they stay far from her camp. She has control over them and others of that nature, she can twist the mists and have them help her travel wherever she wants.” Multan collapsed on the chair and sighed. “Well tomorrow we start the rituals to get you accepted as a part of the tribe.” Cody stood up he was angry, anxious and frustrated, he slammed out of the room heading to his room. Multan slapped his hands to his sides and sighed deeply. “Al, send Maggie up with some food, I got to calm a love sick pup!”

Cody slammed his door open and began to pace the floor like a trapped angry polecat. He was cracking his knuckles and his mind was racing on how he could get to Ravenloft, he wanted to go tonight, enough fire torches he could get to that castle and get his woman and his child out of that mess before that monster hurt her. Multan entered the room closed the door and leaned against it crossing his arms. “Look lad, I know I am not the companion you wanted to share you night with but I am the best you got for now.”

Cody turned and snarled, “That Monster Has the mother of my unborn child! I need to get to Ravenloft tonight! I need to be there now!” Cody was upset and the more he thought about Strahd and what he was and the fact he had M’lar who was carrying his child.

“Cody, me boy sit down. You are reacting and you are not thinking this through, did you not see what we went through just to get into this building? Do you think it’s any easier out there? I can assure you that it’s not and anything living would be devoured and drained of blood in no time!”  
Cody glared at him, “Do not tell me something I know! I am thinking! I am thinking like a father! Have you ever been a father Multan? I know the feelings inside me and when I was back home. I was something like a father, I was the strong father figure and there was nothing I would not do to protect what I considered my own. That thing has the mother of my child and I am here and she is there.” He turned and slammed his hand palm flat into the wall. Turning he marched to the fireplace stood broodingly in front of the fire his gaze distant.

Multan walked to the wall looked at the handprint and whistled softly. “A bit of anger issues it would seem.” Multan had seen men slam their fists into the wall but not with their palms. “That had to hurt.” Multan quipped softly. He leaned against the wall with the handprint and folded his arms over his chest and crossed his ankles. He dropped his voice low and he looked at the floor, “Do you love her Cody?” He glanced up to see the moody young man

Cody turned in agitation, “Yes, I mean no, hell I don’t know! This is my child we are talking about here Multan. If I know M’lar as well as I think I do, no I know I do, our life would mean nothing but for our child. To us family is everything! Look all I know is I need to get them both out of that castle before something horrible happens to them both.” Cody ran a frustrated hand through his hair and he shook his head. He had just learned she was with child, his child, and to know she was pregnant and both of them were in that much danger bore through him to the very core of his being. He was being twisted up inside and he wanted to kill something or cry. Since it was not a good thing to cry because it showed weakness he decided he wanted to kill Strahd.

Multan watched the anger and frustration run through him like quick silver, “I would say that somewhere along the line you must have gypsy blood you are not all gorger. Look if you give it to morning we will return to Grand’Mere and she will start the ritual to bring you into the family. Once you are adopted into the family, by blood, then she can show you how to fold the mists and bring you to Ravenloft, Tonight we have nothing that can be done and you will have to wait another day. My advice is to go down stairs and let Helene fix your hand, I am sure you were so angry you have not realized you broke it.”

Just another reminder he did not have M’lar with him, she would have fixed it and not thought a thing about it. Cody realized his hand was swelling and he sighed. “Yeah you are right. Then we make a plan and I want to go and bring her out of there before they marry do you understand Multan?” A soft knock on the door and Multan pushed off the wall, walked to the door and opened it.

“Dinner is served,” Multan said softly and stepped aside to allow the young girl named Maggie to enter the room with the tray. “Maggie me sweetheart I need you to bring up Helene she needs to fix the boy’s wrist he broke it.” Maggie smiled her red hair in pigtails and her bright brown eyes peered at Cody and then turned and walked out of the door. “You see that girl was attacked five years ago, the bat spies tore out her tongue and now she just looks at you with those great big brown eyes. She understands frustration too Cody, Strahd took her sister as one of his brides. So you are among friends here, someone has lost someone I this town. Why do you think they call it the Village of the dammed?”

Helene prepared a healing draught for Cody had him drink it and in no time Cody’s wrist was healed. Both men made merry and ate, then Cody went to bed and in his dreams he was back home with his little brother who looked up to him as his father. He was teaching him how to be a man, and showing him the way to track, hunt and to accept responsibilities when he was wrong. Cody woke up and now he knew in his heart his anger was because of the fact he could not say he loved her when he did. He was totally and completely in love with her and he was scared for her and their child.

Getting up the next morning, both men ate a hearty breakfast and saddled up. Riding out to the north, Cody watched Multan who was darting his gaze back and forth to the trees. Turning his horse he headed down what looked like a dear trail, “We leave the road here and we should be there before night fall.”

Cody kept watching him move his gaze over the areas and he sighed. “Okay show me the marks, so I can help you find them Multan.” Multan was impressed he shot a glance to Cody then looked to the oak.

“There three marks and an X, how did you know about the markings?” Multan thought they had cleverly kept them as a part of the trees natural condition. He looked around to make sure that they were going the right direction.

“Because family always watches out for family and if they marked the trail to get you home, then there has to be some sign and since you are watching the trees as we pass them I figured the markings had to be in the trees.” Cody had reasoned that out and was being clever enough to not let this family feel threatened, he could tell when a tree had been damaged he was a ranger after all. Both men followed the markings and by sunset they had entered the center of the vardoes. Cody watched I amazement as a wall of mist surrounded the wagons and those inside.

“We will be safe now and Grand’Mere will join us for the ritual.” Multan slid off the horse and let Talia take the horse to graze with the others. The area they stood in appeared to be at peace and those that were a part of this tribe were watching Multan and Cody with anticipation. The old woman slowly walked down the steps of her vardo. Standing straight she put her gaze on Cody and smiled.

“You have come to become one with us Ranger Cody the mystery Man from another time and another land?” She hobbled to him and took her boney fingers to lift his chin and peer into his eyes. Someone moved up behind the old woman and set a chair behind her so she could sit. Someone came up behind Cody and put a stood under him and he was shoved down on the stool. A steaming liquid was brought to Cody, “Drink, and clear your mind boy, tonight you join with the tribe of Ramachnova. You will learn a lot but first you must journey to the beginning the time of the turmoil and the darkness and evil that took this land with its poison.” The others gathered around Cody and the old woman and there began this low humming sound.

A scream erupted from the air and one of the gypsy women began to gyrate around the fire and another began to play his violin to keep pace with her erotic dance around the fire, others began to join in with squeeze box and violins and the music altered the mood in the air around them. The old woman began to chant and Cody after drinking from the cup his head began to spin and he felt like he was floating. Multan took his palm and lifted it, drawing his knife he drew it across his palm, then took the blood that rose to the surface and squeezed it into a cup, then one by one the males of the tribe stepped forward and they too drew a blade over their palms and squeezed their blood into the cup, until the cup was full, then they handed the cup to Grand’Mere, she lifted her hand and drew blood and squeezed it into the cup. Taking the cup she carried it to the fire lifted it up and declared, “Blood that mingles, blood that binds allows us to be reborn as one tonight with a new member to the Clan our tribe grows this night and we add another that may be known as Ramachnova!” She lifted the cup and poured it over the fire.

As the blood hit the fire, it hissed and smoldered, Cody felt someone tug on his arm and he was drawn up and for some reason he felt light headed and almost as if he were drunk. He laughed and began to sing with them as they danced around the fire. Multan clapped his hands and nodded, it was done next he would drink the liquid that would allow him to know the mists and its secrets but tonight he had to dream walk back to a time of long ago. Multan knew the merry making would go on all night so he lead Cody to a pallet on the ground and let him lie down, he needed this time. Cody lay back laughing and soon he was sound asleep and in his dreams he was no longer Cody but someone else.

 

The Beginning of the End

He stood in front of the mirror, he turned sideways and smiled, it was his wedding day and he was going to marry the woman of his dreams, the very beautiful Tatyana. He walked to the window and could see the nobles arriving for their wedding. Hearing his brother, who had grown moody and withdrawn from the family, stood in the doorway. “Brother you are not dressed, surely you should be getting ready.” He had turned back to look at the striking figure he made and did not see his brother’s image behind him, instead he felt a blade as it pierced through his body, the pain was incredible and he drew breath and gasped, “Why?” He turned to see his brother was licking the blood from the knife Strahd had just used to plunge into his brother’s heart.

“Because she belongs to me brother, she is mine and mine alone and you or no others will take her from me.” He dropped his brother’s body to the floor. Turning he walked in his blood covered clothing down the hallway.” Cody in spectral form in the clothing of Sergei, the brother of Strahd Von Zarovich followed his brother to Tatyana’s room. There he paused and watched his beautiful bride turn and smile, the smile fading from her lips as she saw her future brother in law’s clothing.

“Brother what has happened?” She stepped to him and placed her hand over his hand and looked his body over to see if he was injured. Cody saw for the first time in the subtle nuances and the tilt of her head and the look on her face, she may have been a blond but she was M’lar. Strahd took her hand and lead her down the hallway to his brother’s room, showed her his dead body, on the floor, Tatyana gasped and cried out no, and rushed forward to be stopped by Strahd. He pulled her back and rushed her down the hallway and that is when the full impact of what Strahd had done was revealed, the entire wedding party had been murdered, their throats slit and their bodies left twisted and discarded on the floor. The horror of what she was seeing was written across her face.

Strahd took her to a bench seat and set her down. “I love you Tatyana, it is only you I think of day and night, it is you that holds my heart. Say you will wed me, say you will be mine!” Tatyana stood and paced to the side of the battlements. She looked blankly to the sky and the river below. She heard him stand and her grief so strong so filled with the intensity and the fear of what she had witnessed, she turned and stepped back to the small area that allowed the archer to step around and fire, she shook her head.

“I cannot live without him.” She stepped backwards and fell, her arms spread from her body, her eyes fixed to the sky and her grief so consuming she could not scream, she did not scream she just fell and felt the impact of her body hitting the water and she watched the light disappear from above and she was dead. She had heard him scream out in grief and anger and step to watch her fall to the river below. His body was filled with arrows and he fell following her down to the waters below, but he did not die.

 

Current time

A voice called to him saying, “The pact is complete, and you are now of blood for blood and by blood Strahd Von Zarovich, you will live by night and sleep by day, you will not die, but you will not live. You will never know true love because all you touch will perish at your hand.” The dream on that cold deathly voice that echoed around him brought Cody into a sitting position. He looked up to see that he had completed all of the ritual and now it was up to Grand’Mere to claim him grandson and to give him the draught that would allow him travel the mists.

Helping his friend to stand he smiled broadly. “Welcome to the family brother.” Multan clapped him on his back and helped him stand on his unsteady feet. “Come it is time to learn the way of the mists.” Multan led his friend to the vardo where his Grand’Mere awaited them. She sat and watched the newest member of her family and smiled.

“Last night I accepted you as one of my own, that now makes you brother by blood to Multan and together you both will learn the secrets of the mists.” She stood with some difficulty and Cody frowned.

“Why are you so weak Grand’Mere?” Cody noticed she looked pale.

“She always loses a little of her power when she takes a new member to the family, she will be fine after a few more days of rest.” He turned his attention to his Grand’Mere and looked for Magda’s presence, he frowned, “Where is Madga?” Cody too noticed the lovely white wolf or girl that sat at the old woman’s feet was gone.

“She is traveling the mists now at the summons from Strahd. She will return before you go. Now listen, the mists are alive, they form and move like a fog but they have a bite that will kill any that do not know how to calm it and accept it for what it is, and that is the evil that Strahd let loose when he killed his brother Sergei.” She looked poignantly upon the shocked features of Cody. “You know don’t you?” she tilted her head and waited for his answer.

“I know I look like him.” He spoke softly watching her shake her head slowly.

“You are him reborn to this time, now you will learn what your brother unleashed on this land when he made his pact and killed you to seal that pact.” She closed her head and pressed her fingertips to his forehead and smiled, he could see that the mists sought out non-believers to take them over, those that believed were escorted by the mists to where ever they wanted to go and he had to see the mists as something alive and living and needing to be recognized. Grand’Mere nodded and turned her fingertips to Multan and watched him accept that the land was shrouded in evil and it was control by the vistani gypsies and Strahd.

Cody stood and smiled, “It’s time to take Hell to Strahd.” He turned and walked out of the vardo and felt Multan behind him. “He is about to know what it’s like to piss off a Tennessee boy.” He walked to the horses and began to saddle his horse when he heard a scream and a young girl was suspended overhead, a young vampire male floated above and next to him was another darker greyish looking elfin vampire.

Grand’Mere stepped out of her vardo and looked up, “Why do you violate the treaty Rahadin? Why do you take one of mine, it will not please your master let Lena go and make your cause known.” She stood before the intimidating duo and waited.

“We want the Ranger for the girl, and you will not see us again and the girl will be returned safely. “ Cody looked at the frightened features of this little girl and he could not help but think, this was family and he was going to be a father how could, he allow such a young one be in the company of such evil. Cody stepped from his horse and nodded.

“I surrender myself as long as you return the child and do not harm her.” Turning he handed over the two bags of holding and his weapons to Multan, “Keep them safe I will be back for them.” He smiled tightly and watched as the young fledgling Vampire bite the child, then threw her at Multan to catch. The damage was done the child was unconscious and the power of the old woman was directed at the fledgling, the lightning bolt struck him and he screamed out as his body turned to dust. ‘

Rahadin had placed a dimensional door under Cody and he was dropped outside the area of protection. Landing hard on the ground he was winded and felt his hands bound and he was lifted and knew nothing else from the stick of a dart against his skin to put him unconscious.

 

Castle Ravenloft

Cody awoke in a room that smelled of refuse, body odor and death, the screams of those unfortunate souls that had upset Strahd and were sent for reconditioning were heard reacting over the walls and down the long hallways. Sitting up he rolled his arms and stood pacing to the barred doors, that is when Rahadin appeared from the shadows, he ordered. “Strip his shirt, shackle him over the pit.” Three orc guards walked into the room, and jerked Cody from his cell, dragging him and punching him they carried him to the pit and suspended him by shackles lifting him up. Rahadin began to use a multiple strand flogger, each strike stung into his body. He grunted with each strike gritted his teeth he kept his head down until he heard a soft gasp and he recognized the voice.

“Stop it! Please let him go! Stop now!” Looking up his eyes locked with her eyes and he saw the fear and tears in her eyes. Next to her was the man from his dream walk.

“You can stop this just pledged your love to me and marry me in body and in soul. There is very little I ask of you Tatyana.” He spoke and watched Cody his anger and hatred growing looking into the eyes of a man he had killed a long time ago, he was looking at his brother. “Why can’t you stay dead Sergei? She belongs to me now.” M’lar looked at Rahadin and then to Strahd, in that moment in Cody’s eyes she had never looked ore radiantly beautiful and she had no clue she was pregnant. He smiled and waited for her to spit in Strahd’s face.

Strahd nodded, and Rahadin began to whip Cody again. He heard her scream, “No, don’t I will do whatever you want just don’t do this to him, let him go, I will be yours.” Cody felt defeated and his mind began to shut down.

Strahd nodded. ‘Take him down, clean him up and get him dressed he should see us married, is that not right my love.” He turned and pulled M’lar into his arms and kissed her watching Rahadin throw water on Cody to awaken him. He wanted Sergei to see he owned her now and there was nothing he could do about it.

Cody felt his world end when she gave in, he shook his head and felt his body lowered. “You have one hour to say all you wish to him and then I expect you in our bedroom.” Strahd nodded to Rahadin and watched them drag Cody to the cell and throw him down. The door was closed with a loud clang and M’lar was left standing at the door, watching him.

She waited for them to leave and then she began to weep, “I know you are disappointed in me but my dearest heart, my love, I cannot let them hurt you any more if I can do something to stop it.” He heard her confess she loved him and now he needed to get to those bars and hold her and let her know how much he loved her. Crawling to the bars he pulled himself up and pressed to the bars and felt her close to him.

“Fear not my darling, I love you too and we will find a way out of this hell he has pissed off a Tennessee boy and now it’s time to reign down hell on him.” He kissed her forehead and she looked up and smiled. In that moment his heart melted, “I love you M’lar, I guess I always have loved you and now we are here.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 21

Strahd’s Castle

The sun was dipping into the west; the deadly mists that surrounded the lands to keep out those that would oppose Strahd and his plans would soon over shadow the hues of the glorious morning. One tiny figure stood in front of the window, her dress one of the most beautiful creations that had ever been designed for one important woman, the bell like sleeves laced in tiny diamonds, flowed down her arms to flower out at her elbows and trail to the floor, the gowns bodice held a thousand tiny pearls, the dress was made of the finest elfin silk and flowed down her body to pool to the floor and the train was laced with fairy dust and moonlight. A dress most would envy, the off the shoulder gown exposed the slender neck and allowed the braided and curled hair that was also laced with pearls and diamonds to curl down her back and brush against her waist. The golden sash accented her tiny waist. The sash wound its way around her body to be tied in a huge bow in the back.

Upon her head she wore a heavy crown that was laced with emeralds, rubies and diamonds. The tiny circlet was edged into her hair. The mirror said she looked beautiful if not ethereal in form and body. Her face was etched in fear and apprehension he would be coming soon and she was sick to her stomach. Tonight she would give her body, her soul and her life over to a monster and all she could think of at that moment was Cody in the dungeon going through she knew not what, and the thought made her turn and rush to the nearest chamber pot to empty the contents of her stomach, which were not much, into the pot. Lifting her head she looked into her tortured filled gaze and she wanted to cry. Rinsing her mouth she smoothed her hands down over her dress and looked down at her stomach knowing it was roiling with anxiety and was reacting like a stomach bug or an upset stomach. The only other time she had this trouble with her stomach was so long ago and six failed pregnancies.

Walking back to the window she stood in the soft moonlight of a beginning to bloom full moon. The howling outside the window echoed though the heavy forest lands that laid like a dead wasteland around this castle that held no love, held nothing but the promise of death and the end of life for any that dated to trespass here. Folding her arms over her chest she watched and waited to be summoned. She just wanted one more time with Cody before she had to give up her life. She had not heard him enter the room, she had not heard him cross the room, she did feel him place his hands on her shoulders and massage her neck with his thumbs.

Oh how she wished it were Cody behind her and in that thought she leaned against his body closing her eyes and sighing softly, “Thank you my love.” She whispered for in her mind this was her night with Cody, this was her wedding to Cody and this was her life with Cody. The soft deep chuckle and the cold lips pressed against her neck made her stiffen her body and the voice was equally not Cody.

“Here I thought I would need to put you under my thrall to hear those words or did you mean them for your Ranger lover?” His hands tightened around her neck and he gently put pressure on her throat his anger being contained within his raging mind. He was so jealous of that upstart that had found and taken his Tatyana and how dare he look so much like his late and very dead brother Sergei. He realized she was gasping and pulling against the strength of his fingers, he leaned in and whispered against her ear. “Never think I am he, I shall not play second to no man for your love, is that understood?” 

She nodded slowly and he released the pressure on her throat. He spun her around and pinned her with his gaze, “Here is what we are going to do my love.” He said the word love with so much venom and anger that she flinched. “Now you are going down to the dungeon, and you are going to tell him, that he is going to give you away. He has to tell the castle priest of Myrkul, that he gives you to me in marriage is that understood and in return you can enter his cells and be with him one last hour before you are officially mine.” He stroked her face with his thumbs as he held her face in the palms of his hand. His eyes cut through her and he smiled, and you will give me a child. This night I expect that you will be pregnant and you will give me a child this very night.” 

Her heart ran cold and her fear was now complete he expected her to give him a child, what if that child was like him? He saw her visibly pale and he knew he had her attention. “You will let him go? You will allow him to leave unharmed if he does such a thing?” She stood with her knees locked together to keep from buckling under his strong hold to her face, she could not turn her head or look away he held her that tightly in the palm of his hands. Her gaze was locked to his and she felt her will slowly ebbing from her, he was forcing his will over hers and trying to end her to his end. The mention of him letting his toy go was enough to cause his hands to tense and tightened more against her cheek bones and she batted her lashes against the tears that the pain was causing. Realizing what he was doing he released her and walked to the window to look out. 

“Depending on how nice you are to me, and if you give me a child, at that time, I will consider releasing him. Until then, I plan to keep him here to make you behave, and if you are a good wife and do as I say, you may visit him.” He looked down at his hands and his nails and did not look back at the stricken look on her face. He could hear the rapid beat of her heart as she struggled to get her emotions under control and digest the thought he expected her to have a child with him. 

“No more torture?” She spoke her voice was weak with her emotions and her fear of breaking down in tears before her wedding, at least the veil would hide her tear stained cheeks and her absolute terror filled gaze, She waited and did not realize she had held her breath until she staggered and thought she would faint.

“I will consider no more torture but for every time you disappoint me, for each time you are less than the faithful wife to me, you will know and you will see what you cause and he will be the one to catch my anger and you already know how angry I can become. So I would,” He turned to lock his dark burning gaze on her form, “I would consider your actions.” He walked to her, lifted her chin, and kissed her lips lightly. “One hour.” He walked from the room. Rahadin entered the room, he spoke is Underdark, the ancient language of the dusk elves. “He is angry. What have you done you little fool?” 

Not realizing she understood him she responded to him in his own language and he quirked a brow, “I know I did not mean to.”  
Rahadin was surprised and he asked in common, “How do you know my language?” He had stepped more fully into the room and walked to her side, he had to admit he was impressed. She did look like Tatyana. However what he knew of Tatyana she was not as smart as this one was. He leaned into her and sniffed her, she even smelt different, and she was more attuned to the elements. He usually found humans smelled bad and really were offensive to his olfactory nerves. She however made it a point to be cleaner than most humans. He had noticed the ranger was scented to the smell of pain and the nature around him, earthy and sometimes his sweat would offend Rahadin’s sensibilities. 

“My god gives me a gift to understand languages when they are spoken, it is a gift.” She spoke softly and noticed he held out his arm for her to curl her fingers around so he could take her to the ranger. He had to begrudgingly admit he respected the ranger. However, his loyalty was to Strahd Von Zarovich. He would do as his master asked and nothing less. 

Dungeon Cells of Ravenloft

“Come he has given you an hour the wedding is an hour and half away. You are wasting your time here when you could be telling your lover that he needs to cooperate or I will be forced to end his life under the orders of my master.” He led her down the hallway to the dungeon’s doors and helped her down the stairs to the cell where they had transferred Cody. Once there, he opened the door and let her enter. Rahadin had not dare look at the two when they first saw each other in their fine clothing. He knew Strahd was watching them in his scrying mirror to make sure they did not take their meeting beyond simple holding hands or an exchange of a kiss, had they tried to go further and have congress he would have ordered Rahadin to flay the skin from his body and to de-man him. “Keep your clothing on, do not do anything improper with each other, she now belongs to Strahd and you will explain to him his role correct?” 

When M’lar nodded he withdrew and left them alone. It was that moment, that inexplicable moment that M’lar rushed to Cody’s arms and held onto him. “Oh by the god’s Cody he expects you to give me away to him. If you do this he won’t torture you anymore and he will consider letting you go free, you have to do this for me. You have to do as he says.” She was nearly in tears with her emotions and he held her close. 

“You look so beautiful my dearest heart, you are as I would have thought you would be on our wedding day.” He cupped her face in his hands and peered deeply into her eyes and she no longer say the man who was defeated. He smiled and lowered his lips to hers and his passion was as she remembered, his touch as gentle as the day they first made love and his words were filled with hope. “I need you to listen to me my love, I want you to listen very closely.” He locked his gaze to hers and smiled, and she smiled back. However, her confusion and her fear were locking her in place. “I want you to trust me, do you understand? I want you to be prepared to follow my lead and you do as I say.” He watched the confusion in her eyes and smiled. 

“I have a plan. I will get us out of here, all of us all three of us out of here.” His saying the three of us confused her and she thought perhaps Multan had gotten captured with him. “Do you trust me my love?” He lightly kissed her lips and then set her with him on the cot that was a part of the cell. 

She nodded and looked at how handsome he looked in his royal clothing. “You look so handsome my love, if only this was our wedding day, we would have real reason to celebrate.” Her eyes fluttered and she opened them and she smiled looking up into his handsome face. Her voice had grown soft and she said so sweetly and not her voice. “My love, my heart beats you’re your heart and they beat as one. This day is the day to rejoice because we are together once again.” 

Cody’s eyes fluttered and his eye color changed and his face was superimposed with another face and he smiled back and spoke so sweetly and cupped her cheek. “I dream of you, I cannot live without you my dearest one, you are the light of my life and you are my hope for all the tomorrows to be shared with you in our house and our bed.”  
They moved together to kiss deeply her arms going around his neck and his arms dragging her close, breaking the kiss she uttered softly, “Sergei my love.” 

He uttered in return, “Tatyana, my life.” Then both of their bodies relaxed and the two star crossed tragic lovers left the bodies of the ones that had been reborn and drifted off into a golden light together leaving Cody and M’lar looking into each other’s eyes. 

“You were saying?” She looked at the clothing and let her fingers run over the fine feel of the material. 

He laughed uncomfortably, he had not known what had just happened but he did not want to upset her, they only had an hour. “These were the clothing his brother Sergei was to wear on his wedding day. Strahd killed his brother before he could dress. He felt it was fitting I should wear these to give you away to him.” He looked at her and winked, “But we will not have to worry about that much longer, they will come to get you and I want you to be ready to move when I tell you, do you understand move when I say now.” She smiled and nodded. 

She looked at his hand holding her two hands and his one hand made her hand look so small and delicate, “Did you really mean it Cody?” She looked up and saw the look in his eyes, he really could not take his eyes from her, and she was so beautiful far more beautiful than the day he married Shirley who had to have the most expensive wedding gown. He smiled and kissed her nose. 

“Mean what my love?” He knew what she was asking but he wanted her to tell him.

“About our wedding day? Do you really want us to get married when we get out of here or back home?” He gathered her close to him and rested his chin over her shoulder and chuckled softly.

“Would you M’lar take me Cody to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer till death do us part?” He had whispered those word I her ear and she smiled.

“I would take you Cody to be my lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer till death do we part.” Her words were said with such passion that Cody was nearly moved to tears. Leaning over he sealed their private vows with a deep kiss. 

“So, do you believe me now?” He looked down and saw the garish huge ring of the Von Zarovich coat of arms ornately imbedded with tiny diamonds and rubies. “I will get you a proper ring when we do marry my dearest one, and you will be able to put this whole sordid mess away in the back of your mind. We will never have to look back on this as nothing more than an adventure, you and me and our family.”

Once again she heard him talk about a family or three and she was not sure what he was rattling on about, she knew she was sterile had been for over eighteen years. Since that hopped up druggie had kicked her so badly she lost everything that night all because the sheriff insisted she search woman prisoners brought in as part of her desk duty. She had her   
appendix out and was still healing when they brought in Zukie Stewart and she was high and she turned on her and pulled her bald headed and kicked her repeatedly in the area where she had her surgery, thus crushing a tube and an ovary and causing her to hemorrhage so that by the end of the week she was in surgery and had everything removed. 

She knew he could dream with her and she did have the body of a twenty-three year old and the mind of a forty-three year old but that did not mean she could give him a family. All she knew was time was ticking by way to fast and they would be coming for her and him. She held him as tightly as she cold and sniffed with her emotional tears. “I love you Cody, I will always love you and no matter what happens when you say now, I will be ready for whatever you plan. Just promise me one thing.” She looked up into his gaze and smiled bravely, “Don’t get yourself killed.” 

They could hear the rattle of the keys in the main door to the dungeon’s cell rooms. M’lar stood and turned she had visibly paled, “Don’t let me down, I trust you with my life and I trust that you will find me a way out of this!” She held onto him one more time and kissed him deeply, until she felt a firm hand clamp over her upper arm.

“Times up, bring the prisoner and see he is secured with his shackles.” Rahadin lead M’lar who turned and watched them shackle his hands, Cody was smiling and for the life of her she could not understand why he would be smiling. “My lady if you will pay attention. You need to keep your head up and your eyes forward. The master will be watching you and if you give any sign of faltering in what is expected he will have me end his life where he stands.” 

M’lar kept her head up and her eyes forward and spoke softly, “Thank you, I will do as I am told.” He smiled and continued with her back to her room so that she could be straightened up and her veil could be affixed to her crown. 

Cody waited for them to latch the shackles and slipped the lock pick from the sleeve of his jacket, with an adept sleight of hand and a quick working of the pick into the lock he had the lock undone. He would wait and he would show Strahd in front of all his guests who was the true man in this tug of war over his woman. M’lar belonged to him, she was his body and soul and she carried his son, he was not about to give up or give her away. He would time it and when the timing was right he would create mass confusion and he and M’lar would escape, he just needed to find a large gryphon or bird or even a dragon he could use his animal empathy with and summon it to this castle, as long as he could fold the mists he could get her safely out of this horrible realm and back to safety.

 

Throne Room Castle Ravenloft

Strahd stood at the top of the alter and waited for the musicians to begin the march of the bride. His gaze went to her first, she stood in the draping of the shear elfin silken veil, it only hinted at her beauty he knew lay beneath the gauzy covering. He turned his contemptuous gaze on the man that stood at her side and a triumphant look in his eyes and a smirk on his lips, his brother trussed up in his pretty clothing and his hands shackled he was pathetic and there was nothing he could do to stop him from taking what they both loved but would be his, Strahd Von Zarovich.

 

Earlier meeting between Strahd and Cody

He had recalled earlier when he had gone to the cell after his clothing had been delivered and he had told him what was expected of him. “You will give her to me Sergei, you willingly hand her hand over to mine and wish me happiness, in exchange, I will not beat her in front of you, I will not mark that beautiful body or her face, and I will consider allowing you some freedom and no more beatings from my faithful servant.” He nodded to Rahadin. “So when she comes to you, I do not care you old each other, I do not care that you kiss and tell each other how much you love each other, I care if you touch her in a way that no other man should upon an intended to another so no sex with her. If I see you are having sex together I will flay your body and have your male gender displayed for all to see on the top of my battlements, and then I will as you die let you see me take her and bring her over to what I am. Am I understood?” 

Cody had sat with his arms locked in place, his hands curled tightly around the edge of his cot watching his feet. If he looked up he was afraid that Strahd would see his hatred and know he was planning something, so he had to school his features and he had to calm his anger and his hatred and he would slowly lift his head and appear to be defeated and nod. This man would never know what he was really thinking. 

Lifting his head he looked defeated, his gaze was glazed over and his shoulders slumped and he sat in feign dejection. “Don’t hurt her, and I will do what you want. Just don’t hurt her.” His words were sincere and they touched Strahd to the point his jealousy was inflamed, he turned his back on the man that so strongly looked like his brother, all he wanted to do at that moment was run him through. Well he would have the last say when he stood and watched them joined in marriage.

“You love her that much don’t you?” He had to know he wanted to know and he knew it would make him angry to hear it but he kept thinking ‘She will be mine and he will have to watch us together.’ He turned his back on the man he could not stand to look upon him. He was pathetic how could he possibly even think he could be a part of her life, in what world did he think he could even compete with him let alone possess someone like her?   
“Yes, I love her. . . “He did not realize how quick the vampire could be when he moved, he was lightning fast he had Cody by the throat and pinned to the wall. 

“Take care brother, or you will join me in the realm of the undead. You may love her and I can assure you after today you will only hold that love for her and you will never have her!”   
Strahd turned away and straightened his clothing, “Now I will send her to you but remember she is mine.” 

Thorne Room

Strahd now stood triumphant before an assembly of his kind and the town’s people of the vales and waited he had won and this was his reward and now he was ready to claim her. He had heard the gasps of surprise at how lovely she was and the room buzzed and hissed with compliments for the beautiful bride of the Count. He watched her curl her fingers so tightly to his arm that they had turned white from the pressure and yet he showed no sign she was hurting him. They approached and Strahd waited for him to step forward in his shackles and hand her over to him. The Burgomaster waited for them to arrive and asked. “Whom gives this woman in marriage to the Lord of Ravenloft?” 

Reaching his hand forward, he waited for Cody to hand M’lar’s hand over to his, and all he knew next was the shackles that had bound his wrists were now being used as a weapon to knock lances and swords away from a responding army that was attempting to surround the bride and her champion. Cody had moved quickly to snag a sword from a hapless guard and began to fight his way tugging M’lar behind him to the rear of the throne room.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 22

Ravenloft Castle Battlements

Swinging the sword and knocking the guards back, Cody drug M’lar along with his trying to keep his body in front of her body. He shoved, sliced, parried, and swung hard to push back. The part of him that still held Sergei’s memories knew he was headed in the right direction. The Cody part knew he had connected with an intelligent breed of bird and that his plan was in place. Slowly and with care he kept himself between the blades and M’lar she was carrying his child and he would be damned that she would be hurt. Lunging one last time he turned and shouted, “Run!” 

She grabbed her dress and wadded it up into a ball and ran up the stairs. Darting a head of him up the stairs hearing Strahd below shouting at the top of his lungs to stop them, to kill Cody and not harm her. M’lar hit the door to the battlements and she was filled with a feeling of familiarity. This was where Tatyana had run that day to throw her self from the top of the castle. She looked around in a panic and ran to the spot that Tatyana had stood. A sick wave of nausea filled her and she turned as Cody burst through the door, she ran to his side to help him shove the door close and tried to find something to block the entrance of any more guards. 

Cody backed away from the door and watched it bow, sensing the arrival of the large beast he had summoned he smiled, turned to M’lar kissed her quickly on her lips and said softly, “Do you trust me?” He watched her look at him as if he had lost his rabbit assed mind and that just made him smile more. “Do you?” 

“Of course I do.” She spoke with certainty that she would trust him with her life. 

He smiled as the door gave and splintered and the guard rushed the battlements with Strahd behind them. “Kill that bastard!” M’lar stepped forward only to feel her body jerked back and then shoved her off the top of the battlements. So this is what he meant by trust. She closed her eyes and wanted to scream but there was already a lot of screaming going on as Strahd relieved his worse nightmare over again. “Kill him now!” He ordered and the archers raised their bows but before a shot was gotten off, Cody turned and dove over the side. Because his weight was more than M’lar’s he quickly caught up with her and twisted his body so that she lay on top of him as they fell. 

M’lar waited for the impact in the river or the ground she knew it would only be painful for a moment so she kept her eyes closed when suddenly heir bodies did make impact and she bounced with Cody under her and they were no longer falling but flying. The large whoosh of the wide wingspan came up beside them and Cody shifted and placed M’lar in front of him and leaned over her body and shouted to the great green dragon, “To the river to the north stay above the mists and set us down at the bend in the river!” Cody looked down at the woman in his arms and kissed her forehead. “Open your eyes my love.” 

M’lar had curled against his body and opened one eye and then the other and she smiled tensely. “We did not die?” She was amazed that they were above the trees and below the clouds. The air was brisk and causing her dress to flap about her body. He laughed softly and held her tightly pressing his face to the top of her head and he laughed. 

“Yes we are alive, we did not die, and I got us out of there all three of us!” He hugged her so tight she eeped from the pressure he was putting on her. “Sorry my love I am just so glad I got you out of there.” He shifted her so she straddled the dragons back like him and pressed against her back as they flew through the night.

Battlements

Strahd was fit to be tied in his anger and his rage, he was shouting out orders and demands to go after them to call out all the children of the night to pursue the two that had gotten away. He was going to make Cody pay for putting him through this hell once again. “RAHADIN! Go after them bring me his head and bring her back alive! Go now!” Strahd was not going to make the same mistake he made before, instead he was going to make Cody pay for what he had done, turning he rushed back down to the throne room and discovered the guests had already left in fear of loosing their lives. The throne room was now empty but for one old crone that stood in the open doorway and waited for Strahd to see her. 

“Aleksandra what do you want?” He said tiredly and collapsed on the throne. He slid back and looked moodily at the old gypsy woman. She shuffled forward with her frail bent figure her cloak dragging the floor at her feet. She bowed low and spoke in a raspy voice.

“MY dark lord, if I may I have some important news to pass along to you about the one you sought to take as a bride this night but escaped with the reincarnation of your brother, Sergei.” 

Strahd slid up his spin ramrod straight his eyes fixed to the old woman. “Speak.” She had just told him that what he suspected was true his brother had returned to take his Tatyana away from Strahd. She smiled her rotted toothy smile and wagged a finger at him. 

“You were naughty you got her pregnant and now she carries your children in her womb. One child of light one child of darkness she has two a boy and a girl.” She watched him for his reaction and saw him look thoughtful. So he had been successful in getting her pregnant and now she carried his daughter and his son one of dark and one of light so he had to wonder what that meant. 

“Old woman explain yourself to me and do not annoy me your life hangs in balance what do you mean one of dark and one of light and how do you know this?” He had leaned forward and pinned her with his gaze and waited for her to explain what she was talking about to him on this subject matter.

She shifted on her arthritic legs and reached for a cane she had hung over her wrist to rest against it. “That one child shall carry the genes of the mother and always face the daylight with joy and happiness and the other child shall face the light but not always with joy or happiness, that child shall be haunted by what and who the father was and will someday bring home to the father the eternal death.” 

Strahd listened with a look of contemplation etching his face then waved her away. “See the quarter master for payment hag and do not darken my doorway again.” He did not know how to take this information; he had bred a child that would one day mean his death? Not if he had control over that child and had her back in his bed.” He leaned back and sat broodingly on his throne he waited for word from Rahadin that they had been found and that Cody was dead, that made him smile. 

The bend of the River Luna

The huge dragon swooped down to the shore line and landed folding his wings in he waited patiently for the two to get off his back and then he smiled that toothy smile and Cody turned to look at the dragon. “I release you from my bidding tell your master I owe him a debt of gratitude and I shall repay it some day.” He stepped back pulling M’lar against him and they watched the dragon run and then lift and fly off into the night to disappear among the darkening clouds. “Come my love we must not tarry they will be following us and I have to get us to safety.” Taking her hand he drug her along the river’s pathway leading her away from Barovia’s boarders and towards safety. 

M’lar felt the rough ground tearing into her soft feet. They continued to scurry along the pathway and occasionally she would stumble with the dress’ train wrapping around her feet. “Cody wait!” She called and stopped in the center of the pathway. She reached for his knife and cut the dress’ length taking the extra material she wrapped it and tied it around her feet and that was when Cody saw her feet were beginning to bleed. Sweeping her up in his arms he carried her along the pathway heading to the mouth of the Gander river and the Luna river, when they heard horses and a man’s voice. 

“Well Lad, took you long enough to escape that hell hole come along we have miles to make and no time. Daylight is another ten hours away.” Multan a welcome sight to see sat atop a horse and held the reins to two more horses. Cody carried M’lar to her horse and seated her and then took the reins to his horse and saddled up. “We ride hard for the next hour and then we should have enough distance and we go exactly opposite of what they expect. We keep to the tree lines and you keep an eye out and we will ride towards the castle then when we get to that next spilt in the river we take it and backtrack to the camp where Gram Mere awaits us.” 

Cody for his part was never so glad to see someone in his life as he was to see Multan he looked over his shoulder at M’lar who was trying to hide the fact she was in pain from her feet. “Are you going to be all right my love?” She nodded but said nothing he figured she was tired and shell shocked. He smiled with encouragement and nodded to Multan, “Lead us on my good friend.” Multan kicked his horse and they took off racing against time and the ones that would be hunting them. They rode hard for an hour and feeling the horses tiring Multan finally slowed them and they paused in the middle of the woods and smiled.

“There!” He pointed to a clump of trees and a portal began to form, and from that portal jumped a white wolf. Eloria had come to guide them to a safe place. Multan nudged the horse through the portal followed by M’lar and then by Cody and as El jumped through to follow the portal closed, when they rode through to the other side they were in a calm and beautiful place in the middle of he woods. Five vardoes circled a campfire and merriment was being made around the fire. The sound of a melodic squeezebox played out a lively tune with the accompaniment of a violin. The laughter and the clapping noise to the dancers around a bright cheerful fire was a welcome relief to what they all had just lived through. 

“Welcome Multan and brother Cody, come bring your woman and join us by the fire?” Luigi shouted as he played his squeezebox. Multan dismounted handing the reins of his horse to his cousin Gustavo and turned watching Cody dismount then help M’lar off of her horse and carry her to a chair to sit her down. Multan turns to leave them alone so Cody might tell M’lar what he knows and who these good people are to him as a new family. 

“So you see we will stay here for a while, they are hidden from those that seek us and we will plan on what to do once you are rested, we need to get out of this country out of this land and back home and the only way I can protect the three of us.” She notes he says the three of them and she smiles and cups his face.

“Cody I am sure that Multan would love to join us in the future but how do you propose we take him with us?” He kisses her palm and then takes her hand in his and holds it. He realizes that she has no clue and slowly he paces his hand over her flat stomach. 

“My sweet, sweet Juliana, in our time you were sterile hurt in an accident and to never be able to have children but here when you regenerated your body, you regenerated your whole body and you healed your womb, it now holds my child. . . “ 

A wizen old voice speaks from behind them and says softly, “She carries two children my son, two a boy and a girl.” The old grand mere walks forward and places her hand on M’lar’s stomach over the top of Cody’s and smiles. “A boy and a girl. She carries to new lives in her.” 

M’lar looked shocked as she peered at the two hands over her stomach then into one pair of eyes that were kind and sweet and that was Magda, the other eyes were filled with wonder and love. “Well guess I am a better man than I realized.” He has so much pride in his voice and his eyes are filled with the wonder of the though of fatherhood. 

M’lar shakes her head, “But, but what if. . . “ He presses his fingertips to her mouth and shakes his head. He sees her about to tear up and he knows what she is thinking and he stops those thoughts immediately. 

“Shhh, they are mine, my love, my children conceived on that last night on the boat surely you felt the love we shared that night was our love and that is when you got pregnant. So they are both mine and will always be mine and that is why we must make some very serious decisions. So don’t ever say anything to the contrary, they are mine.” He reassures her and a part of her feels sick that he would take on a monsters child as his. Then she realizes this is how much he loves her. Magda pulled her had away and smiled.

“Do as he says child, they will be his and only his and that will make the acceptance of them all the more right and good for you both, now you are tired and we have cleaned out a vardo for your use while you stay with us. So, go, and sleep and tomorrow we make plans to keep all safe.” 

So much has hit M’lar and she stands half thinking this had to be a dream, not only is she back with Cody whom she loves with all her heart she had just been told she is pregnant a dream she had for most her life to be a mother but was denied such when she lost two to still born births and then was injured so severely she lost all that allowed her to be pregnant and left her hallow in side and sterile. Cody pulled her hand, and automatically M’lar still not sure if she is dreaming stands and wavers, only to feel her body swept up in his strong arms. 

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiles unsure but happily into his eyes and says so softly, “Take me home my handsome Ranger, make me your wife and let us have our family.” Which those words to her sounded so strange as she uttered them. Laying her head on his shoulder he smiled broadly, he was going to be a father and there was nothing more amazing to him than the fact that there would be small ones that would call him daddy some day. Walking with forceful strides to the Vardo that Multan stood by, Cody smiled. Multan opened the door for him and watched him carry his love into the vardo and then Multan took up position on the steps.

Cody laid M’lar on the soft bed in the small comfortable wagon’s interior. She lay back on her back and closed her eyes, letting her fingertips dance across her flat stomach. She was pregnant, she was pregnant with Cody’s children, and yes they had to be Cody’s children she could not stand it if they were his. Opening her eyes she had felt him take her fingers in his large calloused hand and lifted them to his lips to kiss them lightly. Her mind was still filled with confusion and she was mildly distracted until she felt his lips on her neck trailing tiny hot kisses up her throat to her ear lobe, “My precious sweet darling M’lar. You are to me my life, and for this gift you give me, I have only one real question. Marry me.” She rolled her head and tucked her chin to peer into his eyes. 

“My precious and dearest Cody. Of course I will marry you. I want to marry you at the Monastery and I want Vlad to marry us. May we do that? Will you get us there? I know if we can get there, then we are going to be safe” She knows that to get back there they must get the one that can open the portal to take them home and then and only then will they and their children be safe. 

“Then tomorrow we set out for the Mountain and we find Elrod and we go to the Monastery and we are married then we all go home.” He whispers softly against her neck and she can feel his arousal and she smiles and rolls over to press into his body. 

“Make love to me Cody, hold me and make love to me.” She pleads as she presses closer to his body and he smiles.

“As malady wishes.” He slowly undoes her dress to help her slide out of it and then he begins to disrobe, crawling between her legs he presses his manhood against her soft spots and feels her give to his demand and together for the first time in what seems like months they are wrapped in the passion of their need and love for each other. 

Dark Hold

Azalin watched Dacron fly to his hold and he frowns, where are they? Did he not send hat inept dragon to bring Sergei and Tatyana to him? Teleporting to the holding area where Dacron landed he waited. “Well? Where are they?” Azalin demands with a hint of anger edging his voice. The huge beast turned his head to peer at the lich and walked towards the pit that held his meal. 

“I left them at the river bend of Luna and Gander why?” He nibbles the freshly slaughtered meat. Dacron continued to chew and crunching the bones and watching Azalin through half closed slits. Burping the smell of burning brimstone filled the air and that added to Azalen’s irritation. 

“Why did you not bring them here, you know I wanted the woman.” Azalin paced nervously back and forth and could tell Dacron was about to belch a round of fire over his meal which he always did when he was hungry and annoyed. 

“Everyone wants the woman, she is special, she is pregnant with Strahd’s child and the Ranger’s child, she carries two babies in her and they wreak of darkness.” With that said, Dacron belched spewing forth flames over his meal. If anyone would know this by having him or her ride him it would be this dragon he was as special as this woman Azalin wanted. 

“Why did you not bring them here?” Azalin was trying to be patient but it was growing thin with his obstinacy being so prominently a part of his personality. 

“Because the ranger has beast master’s abilities and he commanded me and I had to obey you know that foolish man. If you did not you should have known it before you sent me to collect them.” This did annoy Dacron to no end he never liked giving up control over his person to anyone let alone a human like Cody. 

This was news to Azalin. Turning his back on Dacron he walked back to his lab in his hold and stood before the night’s chilled air and watched the sky lost in thought. This was a new wrinkle he had not anticipated and he certainly did not wish to deal with again in the future. Walking to the scrying mirror he looked in it and waved his hand over the glass, “Show me.” 

The mirror shifted and the image of Strahd sitting angrily on his throne waiting to hear from his guards as to what happened and if they had been found and this made Azalin smile. Speaking into the mirror his voice with the use of audible glamor was projected to the wall next to Strahd. “So once again you loose her to your brother and there is nothing you can do about it except to sit and sulk?” 

Strahd pushed from his chair a controlled rage filling him. Turning to the lips on the wall he shouted. “SHOW YOURSELF LICH do not use trickery it belittles your standing to me!” Strahd waves his hand and the image of Azalin stood in transparency before him. “You come to gloat but you will not gloat for long, do not press me on this old man or you could find that I will find your phylactery and destroy it and you with it!” 

Azalen’s form paced around Strahd his head turning from one side to another as he studied the darkest lord he had ever met. “Idle threats Strahd that is beneath you. You know as well as I you will never find my phylactery and you will not destroy me, it will be me that shall destroy you. I just wanted to tell you if I find her first that nine hells will freeze before you see her or her soul reborn again.” He was baiting Strahd to make him angry and he knew he was making threats that might come back to haunt them both. 

“You will not put your sticking rotten fleshed hands on her, I will see you die before that happens. Beware Azalin you trifle with the wrong lord and you know we are equals do not press this and do not think to take what is mine from me is that understood?” Strahd shook his finger in the transparent face of Azalin who merely laughed at his threats and shimmered from view.

Strahd turned to look at the sky and knew his death hounds would be out all night all he had to do was wait and he would have her back in his bed and to know she carried his children actually made him smile, all he needed was to have those children brought here and under his control, and when he got her back he would have another child with her one that would be trained to protect its father and kill the child that was prophesied to be his death. Turning he sat back down on his throne and folded his fingers over to rest his chin on them and look to the floor in thought. “That is what I will do make her pregnant again, after she births his children and turn that child over to be trained to protect him from its brother or sister. He smiled thinking about getting her pregnant again. Yes, this was how he would deal with it and not have to worry about any stupid prophesy.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 23

Ravenloft Castle

Strahd awoke to a new night and sat up with determination to have hopefully heard something of the location of Tatyana and Sergei. Exiting his bed, he walked to the window, the same window she stood. He would watch her stand there with her stiff back to him, her manner withdrawn and filled with anger and hate. He wanted her to love him, not Sergei, he wanted her to need him, not Sergei and he wanted to own her body and soul. His body ached for the touch of her again in his bed and arms. Looking out the same window he studied what she would watch and wondered what she had been thinking when she stood there.

A sadistically sour part of him knew what she had watched, the night and her hope was that they, her and Sergei would be together. The whole time she was here for those many weeks she had been slowly growing his children in her womb and he had no idea because she was too early in her pregnancy for him to detect a heartbeat. Grabbing the chair from behind him he flung it out the window with an anguished filled cry and screamed, “RAHADIN! SOMEONE BRING ME RAHADIN!” He was now a man possessed to have what was taken from him. Not only had he lost the woman he loved, he had lost his children. The bastard would pay for what he had done and he would make sure the next time nothing would stop him from keeping what was his. 

The voice behind him was filled with malice and humor, “Oh poor Count Strahd, you lost your nice pretty little toy and you are having a temper tantrum.” The image of Azalin shimmered into view and stood as a transparent mockery to his anger and anguish. 

“Leave me Azalin, leave me now before I rain down a hailstorm on your hold. I am in no mood for your antics or jibs at me or what I hold dear to my own heart.” Strahd waved his hand and cast dispel the spell that Azalin was using to project by audible glamor his image to the bed chambers of Strahd he needed to ward the room and his throne room to keep the pompous ass out of the room. With the distraction of Azalin gone he waited and once again shouting loud enough that his voice was projected over the town below and sent shivers through the mortals that lived in their hovels below the great dark castle Ravenloft. 

From the open window a huge black bat blew through the window landed on the floor and shimmered into view and Strahd sighed, “It took you long enough.” Strahd snapped out not even looking at Rahadin, he turned and walked out of the door and headed to the throne room he wanted a report. Rahadin followed behind him watching his masters fowl mood. He knew Strahd would not like what he had to report. 

“They have vanished and we think they have left Barovia and are now in Borca, they are for sure trying to work along the boarders but they are just out of reach. The last sighting was late last evening after they had escaped and that is when some passing villagers thought they saw them enter a dimensional door.” He waited and he counted silently in his mind and before he had made it to five he saw the anger etched across his face. 

Thrusting his body from the chair he had taken he shouted, “Bring down hail and fire on Dark Hold! Send out the death knights and the zombies to swarm his lands and bring him to his knees, he is the one that is responsible for this! I want her here! I want him with a head on his pike! Do not let her be harmed she carried my legacy, my children are in her womb!” Strahd waited he knew the spell he had just cast would evoke some kind of counter attack on his castle and he turned to Rahadin. “You know what to do. Find them, bring them back to me!” 

Seven months later

Magda had done well to keep them hidden from the prying eyes of Strahd and his minions, they had to keep moving which was difficult for them all. There were four pregnant women within the tribe and one of them was M’lar. She was growing heavy with her children and was barely able to move without help, she had gotten huge with twins. She had taken on as many chores as she could perform. But the further along she had gotten the harder it was for her to just walk, most the time she felt she was waddling as she shifted about the camp sight. 

The burden of twins was also exhausting, and she was growing more distant from Cody, she felt he was staying with Multan more than her because he no longer found her attractive, he had not had sex with her in months. Lying on the bed in their vardo, she felt her life was no longer hers. She closed her eyes and felt the tears tickling down her cheeks, for a moment she thought back to the first time she felt the babies move in her and how excited she was to feel that movement. It was just a small little hint of something else sharing her body. 

Five months earlier

Excited she had sat up in be grabbed his hand and pulled it over her stomach that was just beginning to pouch out. “Cody feel this!” 

He had laid his hand on her stomach but felt nothing and smiled. “What is it my love?” 

She had frowned and could not understand why he had not felt it. It was there and then she shifted his fingers and when she did he could feel a flutter against his fingertips. “See?” She saw the look of wonder filter across his face and the look of love and his face had glowed with the feel of that little ripple. He nodded and pressed in against her and they had made the most amazing love to one another and had confessed to each other that night. 

He had just come up from between her legs and smiled with his face all glistening with her body’s reaction to the artful way his tongue had brought her to a climax. That was when he had waited for her to full fill him in her own way orally, then together they rode a high to each others bodies with the frantic ways that a man and woman couple with one another. As they laid sweating and panting in each others arms he curled into her naked body and cupped her belly in his palms and nuzzled her neck. “We smell like a hot whore house.” She teased him and he laughed.

“Yes but no whore or any other woman will be able to get me to do what I just did for you. You are the only woman that I want to taste and to love that way.” He could feel her fingers working and felt the warmth of the cleansing air of her cantrip wash over their bodies. Turning into his hold she smiled into his eyes and whispered against his lips.

“That tongue and this,” she gently stroked him “Belong to me now. Know this my love; never ever will I do with another man what I do with you this night. That is for us and us alone. I do not want to taste another man as I have tasted you, I do not want to be with another man like this total sharing than I want to be with you this night.” That had ignited in him another burst of passion and they made love all through the night for them to fall exhaustedly asleep in each other’s arms. 

It was just another month later when she felt the baby kick and could see the foot pressing against her belly that she took Cody’s hand and laid it over the foot. The foot kicked his hand hard and he laughed and kissed her belly. “Listen here young man or lady, you will not kick your mother like that.” In response to his words the baby seemed to show they recognized their daddy’s’ voice and one pressed forward and both of them looked on amazed at the outline of an arm and fist balled up against her belly. “Oh my god! Look darling! They know daddy!” Cody looked up in surprise to see her look of wonder too.

“Of course they do, they hear all things and they feel what I feel for you through my emotions. Here give me your hand and close your eyes and allow me to help you feel their confused young thoughts in a commune.” She of course was hoping her god could get through so he would allow the commune between them. Chanting softly, she laid his hand palm down on her rounded belly. Through the help of her god’s touch, Cody could feel confusion and then joy when he would speak, they would both wait and listen in this state and feel safe inside mother’s womb as they grew. He could tell the boy was going to be a gentleman like him because he allowed his sister to dominate the position she wanted and would accommodate her to get comfortable inside the small confines of their mothers womb. 

When the commune had ended Cody had taken her in his arms and held her close then laid his head under her breasts, which if it were possible had grown bigger and rested his cheek on her stomach he spoke to her stomach while he laid his hand palm down over the swell. “Daddy promises you this much, no evil will take you. No one will hurt you and you will be safe and soon we hope back to a time where you can be protected and loved for the rest of your lives. There will be nothing more important to Daddy than to see you are protected and safe.” He leaned over and kissed her stomach and she smiled watching him while her fingertips gently played through his hair. In that moment she knew she was loved, she knew her children’s safety would always come first. 

Present time 

Was that only four months ago and look at her now, no wonder he did not want to hold her, or be with her, she was as big as a house and was as ungraceful as an albatross and she was sure hat was what he felt she had become, trying to cling to him. She was scared to death, she was going to give birth in a hostile land and there would be nothing between them and Strahd if he found them he would take her and them and they would loose Cody forever. She would be doomed and those kids would know that the darkness and evil was their life and she was determined to make sure that would never happen to her children. She had noticed when the caravan had traveled close to the boarders of Barovia the children were more active and appeared to give off an aura of being distressed so much so that a couple of times she had experienced Braxton Hicks contraction. Magda had taken them away from the evil borders and reset their course for the place she knew they would part ways and let Multan and Cody take M’lar to Elrod. 

Now lying in her bed she was so tired and her hormones were really playing with her realty that at one point she felt that Strahd was there in the room with her watching her as she slept. So frightened by this prospect she gasped and tried to sit up and found that she could not sit up, the belly she wore was preventing her from doing the simplest things, her eyes adjusting to the darkness she saw not Strahd but Cody standing over her bed. “Cody?” She asked in her soft emotionally charged voice. 

“You have been crying my dear one. Why?” He sat on the edge of her bed and gently traced a fingertip over her jaw line. He smiled and let his palm rest on her stomach and could feel how active those two were being no wonder she looked exhausted. “No more contractions right?” He watched her anxiously. He felt her hand cover his on her stomach and she smiled sadly. Lifting his hand she placed light kisses on his palm. 

“I just feel you think I am ugly and you don’t want to touch me because I am not attractive to you that way.” She began to sob and he smiled gathered her to him and whispered in her ear.

“You are one of the most beautiful women in this world to me and more beautiful because you are carrying my children. I want to make love to you, but I am afraid that if I do I could crush you or hurt the babies. I want you so bad M’lar that I ache for you. That is why I go out with Multan hunting and making coin for us to use once we get to the base of the mountain.” She knew they were tracking towards Mount Bardlak and that was where they needed to get to find he wizen one named Elrod. 

M’lar wraped her arms around his neck and pressed into him. “Then make love to me I need to feel you next to me sharing with me and let me worry about any pain or problems with the children, I can sit on top and if I need to lie down I can use your stomach to give under my belly to lay on you on top. Don’t lock me out my love it is killing me that you put this distance between us. . . “ He smothered her lips with his and held her close and with the most tender and careful ways he allowed her to help him show his love to her.

When they had finished she laid on his stomach it was the first time she had been able to lay on her belly since she began to show. Folding her hands over his chest and resting her chin on her hands she looked at him with his one arm behind his head while his fingertips gently trailed down her bare spine. His eyes were closed and he had a smile on his lips. “I love you Cody.” She said without having to think about it.

He opened one eye smiled into her loving gaze and spoke softly, “I love you too my precious M’lar. I love you with all that I am and then some and I have something serious to talk to you about concerning the babies.” He had been in and out of an argument with Multan since she began to have trouble moving and knew she would give birth soon. He did not want to discuss what Multan and he had decided would happen once the children could be separated from their mother and father. He did not want to spoil this perfect moment between then especially since she seemed so content and happy for a change. 

He watched her frown slightly and he felt she had sensed what had been discussed earlier. Instead she lowered her lashes over her eyes to hide what her emotions were causing her to feel. Her voice had grown soft and she spoke softly, “What is that my love?”

He smiled and brushed the hair from her face and with humor spoke with her teasingly. “We have a very serious decision to make about these two miracles that are growing inside of you. First of all we need names. Have you thought about names?” She balled her hand tightly on his chest, rested her chin on her fist and smiled. 

“I would hope you might wish to name our son Paul Junior, I think he should be Paul as his first name and your father’s name as his second name. My father has a lot of grand kids named for him but I suspect this will be your parents first grandchildren so we should honor your father.” He looked at her in wonder and awe, his ex wife would never have agreed to this, she would have insisted the child be named for her or her family. For M’lar it was a natural assumption that he would want his father involved with the name. She saw this had pleased and shocked him. “What you thought I would want to give the child some kind of sixteen letter name that would make our heads spin and frustrate him to try and spell?” 

He chuckled and the movement caused her to bounce on his stomach and the children kicked against her stomach at their father for disturbing their sleep. Cody felt the solid kick to his stomach, which only made him laugh more, which caused another kick to be forthcoming. “Okay, okay, tell them to stop daddy will quick rocking their boat.” He slid her off his stomach and curled her into his strong hold. “Well fine we will name him after me and my dad but what of your daughter?” 

She twisted looking up at him from the tight fold of his arms and smiled, “I would like to name her Ardana, Ardana Marie. After my grandmother a woman that like my mother influenced my life a lot, if that meets with your approval?” She looked up to see he was smiling.

“I like that she would remind me of you when she smiles.” He kissed her nose. “So we will name them Ardana Marie and the boy after me and dad, now a really important part of what I want to discuss with you is this my dearest love, when are we getting married?” He felt her tense slightly and then roll over and curl against his body. 

“I want you to hear me out, please let me explain my reasoning.” She sighed softly, “The children will have your last name no matter what but when I give myself to you in matrimony, I want to be slender, beautiful and for you. So, I was hoping you would not mind if we had a civil ceremony here before my god and Magda doing the ceremony and then later we have a formal one at the Monastery with Vlad presiding over our vows.” She had felt him tighten his hold on her when she had first said she wanted to wait to get married but then relaxed when he heard her say a civil ceremony in the camp. He was going to make sure his children were not born as bastards. 

“Then tomorrow my sweet one we will be married in front of the tribe. Multan says we should be near the Mount of Bardlak and closer to the Wizen One Elrod.” M’lar nodded slowly and closed her eyes, she was exhausted and she did not want him to know she was having those damnable Braxton Hicks contractions again. Holding her body still she closed her eyes to concentrate on easing the cramping and to not allow him to know she was in pain. The last thing she wanted him to think was he had hurt them when they had made love. 

With the passing of the night, and right before they broke camp Magda performed the gypsy ceremony of binding between M’lar and Cody, as soon as they were pronounced to be bonded, Cody had lifted her up and spun her around and then slowly slid her down the front of his body and pressed her lips with his passionately kissing her deeply, while she wrapped her arms around his neck she broke the kiss with a laugh, and looked at the solid small band of gold in her hand. The ring was to be placed on her hand the moment her fingers were no longer swollen. They like her feet had started to swell and she knew this was an indication that she was about to give birth. 

Tower of Wizen Ones   
Mount Bardlak

Mount Bardlak the top spire of a tower hidden between the peaks of two mountain caps. Elrod sat staring blankly at the ceiling he waited for the madness to pass and the voice that had haunted him for the past month to quit whispering to him about a woman with child coming to seek his help and he was to summon him when she arrived so he could take her from the two that would escort her to him. Elrod was a young mage and had not leaned his craft well in the beginning but he had been fighting this possession now for over a month. He on the surface appeared he would be happy to assist the strong pull and push from a very powerful mage. The deepest recesses of him were still attached to the Monastery where he had originally been with his protector Vlad.

Wrestling internally to hide the directions that Vlad had been sending him and the over powering influence that this dark power was exerting had made him tired. The whispering snake like voice had quit whispering to him and in was in those moments that Vlad’s calming voice would speak with him. “Elrod go to the gazing pool in the center of the room.” Elrod stood and did as he was bid. “Look and speak the words, show me Julianka and Paul, wave your hand over the pool and look upon those I an leaving in your charge. You need to fight and hold Azalin off he wants Julianka for the obvious reason she is Tatyana reborn and now she is heavy with children. You will need to keep them all safe once they come to you and then you will travel back to me here and we will see about reversing your spell you messed up bringing them here, do you understand?” 

Vlad watched him nod slowly, “Good go back to as you were Azalin will be trying to take control again.” Elrod his boyish face appearing to have aged beyond his tender years walked back to sit on the stool and fixed his look to the ceiling again except now he felt empowered, he had contact with is protector and supporter Vlad. Now all he needed to do was wait for them to come and from the way that Azalin was trying to exert his will he knew they were close. 

Base of Mount Bardlak a caravan of gypsies rolled to a stop. The tribe looked with concern and fear upon the dark imposing mountain and then with concern to the three that were leaving them. Their main concern was for the small female heavy with child and trying to hold her balance on her horse. There was much lamenting and crying as the three parted ways and began their trek up the mountain headed to a place they only believed existed but had never been seen. Prior to leaving Eloria had taken her brother Multan to the side, “I will follow for a while and then must return to Grand Mere take care of our little mother she is about to go into labor and anything could bring the labor on early she carries for two.” 

“I will watch over her and the father these are treacherous times but it must be faced and done, once we have located the one called Elrod we will come back and travel the way of the caravan with you and Grand Mere.” He had bent and kissed his little sister’s cheek and turned to mount up and catch up with Cody and M’lar as they continued to plod their horses up the mountain towards what they knew not.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story was co authored by Fred Parsons

Chapter 24

Base of Chakras near Mount Bardlak

M’lar sat straight in her saddle lagging behind Multan and Cody, with each set of the horses hooves her back was beginning to throb and ache. The babies were sitting on her bladder and her ribs were starting to hurt from the feet trying to find a comfortable spot in their mother’s womb. Waiting until Cody and Multan were out of sight she let out a soft gasp of pain and closed her eyes, allowing the wind to blow over her already flushed features. “I can do this.” She whispered and looked down at her huge stomach and watched both babies move under her skin to find a better spot to rest in. “Just a couple of more miles and mommy will get off the horse and you can rest.” She rubbed her stomach and looked down and wondered what her feet looked like it had been so long since she saw them. 

Hearing a clatter of horses feet on the ground she looked up to see Cody and Multan had turned around to come back to see what was holding her up. She gave them a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I needed a slight break.” She shifted her weight and thought her bout would never feel the same again. The immediate look of relief that had inched over Cody’s face told her she had really caused them to feel anxiety. “Hey guys forgive me I am riding for three here.” She quipped and saw Cody look annoyed and ride up to take her reins. 

“Come on honey we gotta keep going, I know its hard on you but there are trackers following us, and frankly when you did not come around the bend we thought they had caught up and had taken you.” Leaving her to hold the pommel of her saddle she felt annoyed and irritated with him for treating her like a child. Sullenly she clamped her lips shut, held on and let him lead her horse. The pace he choose made it harder on her and she was sure she was about to go into labor from the forced trot of the horse and being jostled about. Taking sharp small breaths she was beginning to feel dizzy. She felt if the horse was going to torture her for one more mile she would pass out and fall from the horse.

Just as she thought she could not take any more, Cody and Multan held up and looked around the area and seeing a overhang they headed the horses to the cropped area that afforded some grass for grazing, ground tying the horse, Cody helped her from the back of the horse and sat her down. She stumbled and he lifted her and carried her to the area the Multan had just set up, putting a shelter drop over and around the over hang of the rocks. Bending low he gently laid her on the pallet. “We are going to fix supper you rest.” Planting a quick kiss on her lips he noted she was annoyed with him and did not have time to worry about what made her mad. He knew her hormones were out of control and causing her to feel emotional so he would deal with it later when he laid with her and cuddled her close. 

He saw Multan build the fire and started to unload the pots to begin supper, Multan let him to do the cook, “YOU would make someone a wonderful little house maid some day.” He chuckled and began to backtrack their trail, covering their tracks and resetting tracks to another direction. Working his way back to their campsite he began to set booby traps to trip up those that might try to sneak up on them. Taking his time to make sure they were secure where they had settled for the night he had to hope and pray to his god of thieves and beggars that M’lar did not go into labor tonight they needed another six miles to go and then would be in the bowl of the mountain and at the hold of Elrod the wizen one. 

M’lar closed her eyes and laid on he side feeling the babies shift again and finally they settled. A part of her wanted them out now, a part of her wanted her life back in her time and a part of her just wanted to be wanted and held, she softly cried her self to sleep. Cody cooked the hearty stew for them all, and found the dry bread that Elora had packed for them. She was exhausted and she was feeling those false labor cramps and her back was killing her. She kept trying to find a comfortable spot in her sleep to get in a position that would allow her to sleep well or at least rest. 

The night air from the mountains was chilling the area fast, Multan had the traps set and Cody had gone into the makeshift shelter. Seeing her curled in a ball hugging her stomach he frown. “M’lar?” He pressed his hand to her shoulder and she jerked and turned looking at him. “Time to eat my sweet one. Come on we have a hard day tomorrow. I know its hard on you but we have to keep moving we are only a short distance from where we need to go to get to safety.” He saw she was hugging her stomach tightly and she was twisted to a point where she looked as if she were in pain. “Sweetheart?” He reched for her arms and found her stomach was tight as a drum and she was breaking out in hives on her legs, her feet were swelling and she looked at him with pain in her eyes. 

“Are you in labor?” He was about to panic, he had never delivered a baby before let alone two and he was about to panic. He was now wondering how he could get her up the mountain without breaking her water and putting her into labor, from his calculations they had another four weeks to go, maybe because she was carrying twins it was speeding it up. He gathered her close and could feel her trembling in his hold. 

She gasped softly, “Its beginning it can come anytime after my water breaks, and my water has not broken, I am afraid Cody, I am so scared.” She began to sob and it broke his heart to see her like this he wished he had something to give her to ease her pain or a way to calm her he needed her focused. 

He knew now they would need to watch her closely but all they had was another 16 hours and they would be in the bowl. “I just need you to focus and hold it together my sweet M’lar. You need to hold it together once we clear the summit we can get you to the hold and there we can get help to deliver the babies.” He pressed his lips gently to her forehead. He felt the dampness of her body next to his, she was fighting hard against the unimaginable pain of not giving birth on this mountainside that she had broken out in a sweat. 

The covering lifted and Multan stood peering at them with concern, he handed Cody a cup of warm clear fluid. “Have her drink this, Grand’ Mere said she might labor before she should and said this would help with any pain but not affect the babies.” Cody took the small cup in his palm and held it to her lips.

‘Drink my sweet one drink deeply and then rest, we will rest this night. No one will bother you tonight.” He watched her gulp the liquid down make a face and then close her eyes and she was asleep and relaxed in his arms. He did not know what it was but he was glad that Multan had gotten it from his grandmother. Backing out of the tent both men huddled around the fire. “Do you think we can get her up the mountain?” Cody asked Multan not wanting to look at his expression he kept his chin tucked and eating the stew dipping his bread into the broth. 

“I think we need to make a bed we can put on the back of the horses to drag her up if we have to, or you are going to have to hold her to keep her from falling off. You do not need her falling if she does she will go into labor or hurt her or the babies doing it.” Multan had already found the long sturdy poles they could use to tie the blankets to form a drag so she could ride in it up the trail. 

“Would it be easier to drag her up the mountain like than than have her ride in my arms? Which do you think would be harder on her, she can hardly lie on her back as it is with the weight of the children causing her problems and her back is killing her. No matter how I rub at night she cannot find a comfortable spot to lay in because of the weight of the babies are putting on her, I think she will have those kids before we get to the hold.” He did chance a glance at Multan and saw him frown. “What?”

“Do you want to fight and climb to a hold with two new born and a mother that can’t walk after birthing them? We die if that happens.” Multan knew the odds were going against them. Cody sighed and he knew then he had to make a decision he had not thought about them dying before getting to the hold he had not given any thought except to making sure that M’lar was comfortable and safe with his children. 

“Then we should pack up and continue on while she is sleeping. That way we get closer to the hold and if she goes into labor you can go get help and we can try to hold them off until you get back.” Cody was beginning to panic but it made sense to continue on while she was drugged than to wait here like sitting ducks.

“Don’t panic boy, we do not need you to panic, we need you to remain calm, it might be good to make some more ground but going up the mountain in the dark is suicide and you should know that. We sit wait for first light, I give you some more of the drug we secure her to a pull and we take her up the mountain. We get to the hold this time tomorrow if she is drugged she will not slow us down.” 

Cody did not like drugging her, he did not like the thought of dragging her on the back of some horse while they went up the mountain but he knew that Multan knew best and if she could sleep through it then all the better for them all. “You go lay with her and keep her warm the night is going to get cold, I will take first watch, we need to keep her body temperature up. So unfortunately, that means I will need to lay with her next after you take the watch. We are going to have to douse the fire. So you will need to bundle up, it might be good that we all stick together to keep the heat to our bodies up. This will be the night they will try to take her and kill us.” 

Cody was now feeling fearful for his love and their children. “Why?” Cody had to know what he knew and Multan finally had to confess what he had known since they first came back to the caravan and his Grandmother, what she had seen and how she had been able to help them tot his point but had made him promise to not say a word. 

“The night after you returned to camp, Elora came to me said Grand Mere wanted to see me in the holy place to all gypsies. She had a dream and she saw what was going to happen and she made me promise not to say anything until now. So I am about to lay it all out to you.” Multan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She saw us bring pursued, with each passing day she is away from the evil one he has sent out more and more of his undead to find her and bring her back with the babies and to take our heads. He is slowly going mad with anger and rage. She saw us getting to the bowl and then they attack, and he is not the only one that is pursuing us we have the second evil one named Azalin, the one that taught Strahd. They are warring with one another and Azalin is also sending out his minions to bring her to him to hold over Strahd. We need to stay together and get to the hold, once there we will have help. She said it will come from an unexpected source”

Cody did not like the sounds of this, and it was getting more complicated by the moment, the odds were totally against them and now they were cursed with the dark and being on the side of a mountain. “So the odds are pretty much against us is what you are saying?” He looked to the covered enclosure and saw it move so he figured she had shifted and had accidently kicked the covering. He directed his gaze over the area and waited for Multan to answer what he figured out and just needed confirmation. 

“Not impossible just need a lot of luck on our side and time, which with morning we will have that they can’t move in the daylight. I suggest this is the night we get all the rest we can get and we push hard in the morning.” Multan finished his stew, belched and smiled, “Like I said you are gonna make some a real nice househusband some day.” 

Cody worked quickly to clean up what they had done and Multan doused the fire just as th4e winds picked up and it was an unnatural wind that held a bite to it. The three of them huddled together in the makeshift shelter with Cody agreeing to sleep on hour and Multan the next so they could get some rest this night. Each took turns cradling M’lar to them and waited for daylight to break. It was right before the break of dawn the first attack came to their area, the booby traps were set off and all hell broke loose.

Cody was up shoving M’lar none too gently against the darkness of the wall and ramming all the blankets around her, he rolled out of the shelter taking his sword with him. Multan had already brought out his sword and they were in the middle of hip deep in bones and zombies attempting to attack. It was a fight to the finish as they dispatched the last of the nasty’s that had been sent to take M’lar and kill them and they had sliced, hacked, and slashed until they were covered in the ichor of the zombies’ blood. 

Panting and looking to the morning sky both men were glad to see the day was dawning. Not allowing the day to pass without them moving forward they loaded M’lar on the travois and started off up the trail making good time until noon when M’lar woke up and tried to get off the wikiup that had been constructed for her, Cody had forced her to drink the draught and she went back to sleep. Keeping track and pacing their horses they were finally on the summit and saw the bowl and the hold in the center, heading down was as treacherous as the assent had been. They had just arrived at the doors of the hold when nightfall arrived and from the sky came the first hail of maelstrom coming down on the area around them. 

Riding hard and fast into the hold, the horses were scared with the hair of fire from the skies. Making inside under cover, they lifted M’lar from the travois and rushed up the stairs to come up short before a barred door, the door slid open with a tumble of the bar coming loose. A young pale pimpled-faced boy stood at the door and looked with concern and surprise at the three huddled against the door with the stamping nervously. The door was flung open. Cody carried M’lar in followed by Multan holding onto the horse and leading them to the barn. Turning them over to the stable boy they turned to look at the scared face boy. “Where are the others?” Cody asked and as he did he felt a rush of warm water wash over him from M’lar. Her eyes flew open and she screamed out.

“Damnit! They are coming!” Tears flew from her eyes and she rode out the pain being held by Cody. Turning the boy motioned them to follow him up the stairs to a interior maze of rooms inside the hold. Cody rushed with his precious cargo quickly towards the direction the boy was leading them to come up before a set of double doors. Rushing into the room, Cody came up short to look around at what appeared to be a room filled with Monks having their evening meal. 

“Please she is in labor, she is going to have the babies!” Cody gasped out half in a panic half afraid for her she was a month early. 

The Monks all turned and nodded and one older one walked forward and paused and looked at the necklace M’lar wore. “Child of Oghma! Bring her this way.” He turned and was followed by two more monks that led Cody into the inner room and a bed. “Put her here and leave us, go to the arsenal hold and wait there we are going to be attacked and this is why.” Multan frowned and looked around.

“Where are your warriors?” He was expecting at least fifteen men to fight what was coming. Morlock nodded to behind Multan who turned and stood stunned at seeing holy warriors under the Monk’s robes. “Well that is more like it.” 

Cody was stunned, “How can you say fifteen men are more like it with what you said was coming!” 

Medlock chuckled and shook his head and closed the doors. Speaking as he did so. “I leave you to explain to the expectant father and young Ranger what is so important about us and what we do.” 

Multan lead him away from the room and down the hallway, “One Holy Warrior is worth ten of my kind so in essences we have 150 fighting warriors on our side with just this fifteen. If I am correct once Medlock delivers your children we can pretty well expect another three or thirty to join us. Now come we must hurry to secure the hold and wait, they will come by air and by foot and they will attack with a vengeance.” 

It was as Multan said, they came flying from the night sky to try and attack and die upon the sacred blades of the holy warriors, their screams searing through the night and heralding the arrivals of them all vampires, zombies, ghasts, and zombies. They were fighting and dying with the raise of a blade or a soft chant of turning the undead. In droves they came and in droves they were turned back until the day was beginning to show light in the western skies. Cody was exhausted; he sat waiting and watching to see what else would come at him when he heard the first cry of new life coming from upstairs. Until that moment he had only heard M’lar’s screams as she felt the labor pains consume her body and rip her apart with life wanting to be out of her. 

Then he smiled and heard the second cry and he looked up to see the dawn of a new day. Silently he thanked Silvanus for allowing them this time together and to be with each other. The pimpled-faced boy came running down the stairs in search of Cody, his eyes alight and his face filled with wonder. “Come Master Medlock says you need to come she is asking for you.” Cody stood then saw the look of shock on the boys face and he fell forward into Cody’s arms and behind him was something that he did not know cold exist but had heard of them. A death knight had penetrated the perimeter and had just run his blade through the boy’s chest. 

Dropping the boy Cody drew his weapon and watched the thing turn to head up the stairs, only to be blocked by three holy warriors who had begun to chant together and speak the words for Tower of Iron Will, they were joined by two more holy warriors and soon the whole of the tower was now humming with prayer, the Death knight staggered back and fell to his knees and shimmered from view. Two of the holy warriors rushed to pick up the young boy and carry him up the stairs. “Hurry we have enough time his soul has not made its journey down the River Styx.” 

Cody walked carefully behind the boy up to the tower room where he had been banished earlier and knocked on the door, Medlock turned and smiled, “Come meet your children young Cody, come and welcome them to the world.” Medlock left him he had one more duty to perform and that as to restore the life to Elrod the silly mage that had brought those two here and created this problem for them all.” Sighing softly at least now perhaps the control Azalin had exerted over the silly boy would finally be broke. 

Cody walked into the room and saw the bloodied sheets and M’lar with her hair plastered to her face and a look of angelic wonder written on her tired place face. She smiled looking at the two that were vying for a nipple to suckle from her and then to Cody. “Say hello to Paul and Ardana.” She spoke tiredly and gently broke Paul from her breast and shifting to secure Ardana next to her she handed him his son. “Say hello to daddy sweet Paul.” She had tenderly taken her fingertips and curled his thick head of hair over her finger while Cody looked down in wonder and awe.

“I thought I would never have this feeling, I thought I would never know what it was like to be a father.” He awkwardly held the boy next to his body and looked at his features and thought he looked like his dad. He smiled broadly and looked down with eyes of love as she lay and held their daughter who held a hint of red to her thick hair and cooed softly blowing bubbles through her lips and looking at her mother in surprise and wonder. Carefully balancing the baby in his arms he stooped down and placed a light kiss on her lips. “We are parents my love, we are proud parents.” 

M’lar’s eyes filled with tears and she nodded slowly and with what little strength she had left she cantriped herself clean. So she did no longer smell of afterbirth, sweat and the toil of bringing life into the world. “We my love are parents and now we have a few things we will need to discuss when this is over. Medlock has told me there is no way we can return to our time until the grand conjunction occurs again and that is not for another three years.” She looked tired and he was worried about her, but had been reassured that she had been healed after the birth of their children and she just needed to rest to get her strength back. 

Cody looked around to see the baskets were lying on a table close by and took Paul to the basket and laid him down and a strong set of lungs protested and she chuckled. “They need to lay together my love they are not used to being apart. Take Ardana and lay her next to him.” Cody tenderly took the small girl and she too was now joining her brother in protest until she was laid next to him and she along with Paul grow quiet and began to sleep soundly. “See, my love they will learn to be apart but for tonight they sleep together.” 

Cody looked down at the two in the basket and smiled. “They are perfect and they look like us!” He turned and knelt by her bed and gathered her close to him and kissed her forehead, “We are parents . Thank you my love, thank you for this.”


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This book was co written by Fred Parsons

Chapter 25

Hold of Mount Bardlak Base of Chakras

Cody walked into the room to the sounds of two wailing small ones. He looked at his children and the woman that had carried them and saw how exhausted she was. But, he knew they needed milk and the only one that cold provide it was M’lar. Lifting up Ardana he carried her to M’lar and she took her to her breast. “Thank you my love.” She said so softly as she watched Ardana greedily take her nipple in her mouth. Cody lifted up his son and held him and wrinkled his nose. “He has a dirty diaper.” Turning he found where the monks had torn sheets to make diapers and easily changed the diaper. He was remembering how he had done this so much for his mother when his baby brother had come along. M’lar watched him a look of love and wonder written on her features she looked down at the now sleeping one and sniffed, Ardana needed changing too. “Um Daddy? Another?” She smiled looking at the little on ono her breast and she smiled. “Exchange?” 

Cody without hesitation took Ardana and gave her Paul so he could nurse and he gently too her breast in one mouth but climbed his tiny fingers up to his mother’s other breast and curled his hand over it. “I think your son is going to be a boob man just like his dad/” She saw him smile and blush. “What you can still blush?” She chuckled watching him beam turning to hold his daughter in his arms. Walking over to look down at his son greedily nursing he sat on the edge of the cot next to her and rocked the small girl in his arms. 

‘You have made me the happiest man in the world this day my sweet Juliana. I never hoped or thought this would be a life I would have.” He watched her close her eyes and then slip off to sleep. Looking up to see Morlock enter the room he frowned slightly. “Why is so so sleepy? I thought once she was healed she would be up to moving and leaving here?”

Morlock walked forward to peer down at the tiny priestess who was obviously a lot thinner now. “Not only did she have rough time while she was held by the monster. The monsters child nearly killed her when she gave birth to her.” Morlock placed a gentling hand on her forehead and stroked the hair back and waited for Cody to ask what happened.

Cody was stunned he had no idea she had nearly died. He had been busy fighting the undead things that had been sent by a lich and Strahd and had heard the healthy cry of his son being born, knew it was his son at that moment. He had failed to hear Ardana’s cry because he had been fighting the last of the zombies and that was before the boy with the pimples on his face had been killed. Looking at the face of the woman he had come to love he glanced up to the old Monk and asked. “What happened?” 

Morlock pulled a chair next to the bed and turned as the other Monks entered the room carrying young Elrod dragging him to a bed to let him rest. “He has been resurrected Lord Morlock.” The Senior Prelate spoke while putting the young one under blankets. Morlock nodded. 

“Tell the others they should come we will need to do Tower of iron Will on the young one, she burns to the touch of holy water and that cannot before for the Priestess of Oghma’s child.” 

“What of Sumter? He is exhausted to perform such a feat after resurrecting the young one there.” Prelate Formner spoke with concern. Looking to the three that had followed him into the birthing room. 

Morlock sighed softly looked down at the little mother and then around and raised his eyes to the ceiling. “He shall rest as he should, you and the others must come the life we save this night will be a life that will cleanse this land of the living death that pervades it now. “ The Prelate and his fellow warriors bowed to Morlock and turned to leave. 

Cody was confused over what had happened and what was about to happen. “What is going on and why did she nearly die?” He held young Ardana in his arms while his son continued to suckle his mother breast and even in her sleep she was mindful of him being there and was holding him in place. He looked down into the innocent sweet face that was his daughter, it would always be his daughter and she knew that he would always reassure her that this was his child. 

“Because the child is different she was feeding from the mother’s blood directly, and she had nearly taken all of her blood to be born, that is why we must do Tower of Iron Will to stop her need for blood and make her more like her brother, she might still have some of the dark lord’s powers when she comes of age but she will not need blood as she does now.” 

Cody looked down at the tiny form and slowly edged her lips up to see they’re forming under the skin of her bums were the sharp pointed teeth that would allow her feed. Looking from the child in his arms he kept saying, “She is mine, she will always be mine, and she is mine. I will love her as my own.” Morlock glanced up and saw the monks gathering around the door. 

“Come in gentlemen, come in. Young Cody please give me the child and go sit with Sumter and your friend Multan he has need of you right now. He is feeling the loss of his friend Durlock who did not make it through the assault on the mount.” Cody of course was sad to hear that one of the Holy Warriors had not made it but had no idea that he knew Multan. Reluctantly he handed Ardana over to the Holy Warrior and slowly walked from the room with a last look over his shoulder watching the Monks lay Ardana in the basket and surround her with a circle the books held hands and one by one they began a chant. 

Cody walked steadfastly to the common room and waited for the doors to close shutting him off from M’lar and the babies. He sat watching the door the whole time he was absently listening to Multan and Sumter who too was watching the door anxiously wishing to be in there with his brethren. Elrod sat leaned over the table and spoke softly. “I am sorry Master Cody. I had not intended to bring you back from your place or time it was a spell gone wrong, horribly wrong, one I was not prepared to cast but did because you reminded me of a friend and I could not save him but I thought I could save you and then you went back in mind and spirit to your younger self and then the door opened and … “He sighed and looked down. “You both were here in this time but to me I saved you both. Otherwise you both would have died and if you go back now you both go back to your deaths.” 

This information gave Cody pause for thought now he has to rethink how to get them out of here and out of this place and away from Strahd he knew if he did not that Strahd would always be hanging over them like a harbinger of death. He frowned and waited, “They are doing something called Tower of Iron Will to cure Ardana of her curse from her sperm donor, it won’t hurt her will it?” Cody looked to the doors and then back to the two men and Multan let Sumter explain what was happening. 

“They are using their powers to bring forth a change in her and to cure her of he darkness that was bred to her by her ‘sperm donor, the only ones it can harm is the priests that pray for so long they all fall unconscious but by the time they are done she will not be tainted they will all be exhausted because they each give up one year of their life in exchange to heal her.” Sumter leaned over the table and rested his head in his palms and sighed. Hearing a body fall he sighed. “One down.” 

Hours Later

Morlcck threw the doors open and exited the chamber room. “Young Cody your beloved and children await you, we have pu the rest of those that fell to sleep on the floor they will not awaken for a full day. I would not awaken M’lar she insisted on joining us and when she joined in the bloodline was broken but I fear she did not last long her strength was not fully restored. So she fell second and now she sleeps and she will sleep for a full day as well, she is very remarkable with how much love she shares for these children with you. You best watch over her as long as you live in Barovia she or you will never be safe.” 

Cody stood with Multan, and together they walked into the room and looked at the five Holy Warriors that had not lasted the chant and had fallen sleeping soundly on the floor under a blanket, M’lar laid on the bed and the large basket that held the children sat on the floor next to their mother. Cody walked quietly to the basket and looked at the small pink bundle that was his daughter and stooped down to run his fingertips to her lip and push up to see her gums no longer showed the bony protrusions that would have been her canine teeth. She opened her eyes and they glowed a hint of red then went back to being the dark color they were before. 

Cody frowned, “What is this?” He turned to look at Morlock and waited for Morlock to tell him it was not a bad thing but a good think. 

“It is what is left of the vampire’s touch on her life, she will have that for the rest of her life.” Morlock walked to Cody’s side. “But she will not crave blood she will hate her ‘sperm donor’. Thus, why she will eventually become the hunter and will seek him out to end him. “ Morlock smiled at the thought. “Which we have waited for her for a long time.” Morlock looked tired and bowed to them. “If you will forgive us the rest of us must go now and we too must rest and we will be glad to escort you to the bottom of the mountain to your friends. We also will escort Master Elrod to the encampment so that he might return to the Monastery. Father Vlad will need him to return.” 

Cody scooted down next to the babies but he then put his hand over M’lar’s hand and looked at how small they were compared to his hands, how pale she looked and how unnaturally deep she was sleeping. “How long will she sleep that way?” He ran his fingertips over her face stroking her hair from her face with a look of utter devotion.

“She can sleep like that for another eighteen or twenty hours, which is find my men will need time to recover. We will be safe now, we have the wards up and there will be no way that Strahd or that lich Azalin can break through those wards, once we leave we do it in broad daylight that way we have no worries about Strahd and the lich is busy fending off Strahd’s assault on him. “  
Cody laid his head on the edge of the cot, he watched the children as they slept and a soft smile drifted across his lips with his free hand he let his fingertips dance across their soft faces and allowed Paul to wrap his tight fist around his Daddy’s finger, “That is right little man, hold on tight Daddy is never going to let anything hurt you or your sister, you belong to me now and I pledge my life to you.” 

Multan smiled and sighed, “You are a lucky bastard ya know that? A beautiful woman you had better make honest and two great looking kids and now you got it all as long as we make it back to the caravan. Grand’Mere has a place she wants us to head so we all can be safe and there are woods and water and plenty of game and for you and me there is a lot of work. There is close to here a place that is called Greyhawke.. we will make it there and once we get there we will be safe for now. But before we go there we got to take the young one Elrod back to his father Vlad.” He sat next to the basket across from Cody and watched him gently caress their faces. “I always wanted a family but never thought it a good idea with the work I did.” 

Cody smiled looking at how Paul held his finger and the soft gasp and sighs that Ardana did while sleeping. He smiled, “You know I never thought I would be a father, and now I am a dad two times over, I got my son and a daughter and I am going to make a few rules where she is concerned, she cannot get married until she is fifty and she can’t date unless Dad chaperone.” He smiles just hearing M’lar now saying that would not happen and she could date at sixteen and Dad would not chaperone because if they raise them right they have to trust their judgments. 

Multan chuckled and sighed, “Well that is your worry brother not mine, we just need to get them safely down the mountain and away from Barovia as far as we reasonably can, but we have to go back to Vlad at the Monastery. That will be the most dangerous part of this journey.” 

Cody looked up and he had noted how instinctively they both had dropped their voices low for their conversation. “Why?” He was curious as to what would make the return down the mountain so dangerous with them going in daylight with the Holy Warriors it should not be that hard for them

“Because he has spies and they will be tracking us once we leave here he can see us and follow us through his spy network and they will be reporting back to him our progress and once he hears she gave birth he will want the children and her and I would not give to hoots in nine hells for all our lives at that point.” 

Cody looked with fierce determination down on the two that now depended on him and his protection and felt M’lar tighten her hand around his hand and she tiredly open her eyes and smiled. “Hi,” she whispered softly and he smiled back and spoke softly.

“Hi, yourself you are suppose to be asleep. Go back to sleep we leave tomorrow to head back to the Monastery and to Vlad.”

“Cody, I want Vlad to marry us when we get there, I want to be your wife.” She lifted her hand from his and cupped his cheek and smiled into his eyes her own going distant. I want us to be a real family and the sooner we get back there the better off I think we all will be. I want your ring on my finger and your name with my name and it will be as it should have been… “ She drifted off to sleep falling back to sleep. 

Cody felt a punch to his shoulder and a soft chuckle. “The old lady has spoken sounds like to me you are going to be a caught and kept man.” Cody chuckled and closed his eyes and nodded.

“Gladly for these three. Now I gotta figure out how to get us home back to our time and out of this dangerous situation.” Cody gently pried his finger from Paul’s grasp and pinched his nose and sighed. “We both have family back in our time the problem is we were twenty years in the past before we made this trip here. I was caught in a horrific blast and I think I died then, and well I had just found out and was actually headed back to the country we lived in to attend her funeral she was killed in a auto crash, which for you that would be like a carriage crash, and she died trying to get to the airport to fly out to meet me. I cannot tell her the future she might make the wrong choices and it would change things forever for us all.” 

Multan saw him yawn and he yawned. “Well I suspect we both need to get some shut eye and rest before we move out. The Warriors will awake around noon and they will move us fast and furious down the mountain so we will secure the babies so they are safe and we will ride hard after we get past the switch backs to the caravan then Grand Mere’ will use her powers to open a portal and we will transport through it to just twenty miles from the Monastery that is as far as her powers go so we will move through to the Monastery before nightfall.” 

Cody nodded and rested his head on his arm next to M’lar’s hand and fell asleep to occasionally feel her play with his hair through the night. When daylight broke through the clouds Elrod was up fixing a meal for all those that were awake or awaking. The next few hours were hurried and prepared as they secured the babies on M’lar’s chest and Cody’s chest to keep them safe and secure for the ride down the mountain. The Warriors had placed Cody, Multan, Elrod, and M’lar between them and held a tight group through the switchbacks and once they hit the downward ride they picked up speeds, Cody was constantly aware of his surroundings and could see eyes watching them from the shadows. 

Once they made the bottom of the hill, the Caravan appeared and there was a scramble to transfer the babies to Elora and Grand’Mere while M’lar and Cody took up position with Multan on horseback to follow the road to the portal that Grand’Mere had opened for them. They drove and rode hard through the portal to come out into familiar surroundings, the same surroundings that M’lar had remembered the night they arrived. “Don’t stop! Keep pushing the keep is ahead 20 miles and sun down will hit about the time we make it to the Monastery.” 

The tribe pushed themselves to keep going forward, rushing forward towards the front gates that were opening at their approach. They hit the gates just as the sunset. Just as they slammed the doors shut the nightlife flew down at the last caravan barely missing it by inches. With them safely inside the high walls and the now green glowing ward of protection over the top they all took a sigh of relief and M’lar went to get the children and take them in to feed them. Elora had done a wonderful job of changing them. Vlad hobbled out to greet them with a wide smile on his thin lips. “Welcome my children come along come inside.” 

He turned and hobbled back indoors and quickly had rooms made up for those that had arrived and would be staying in doors while he sent other monks out to make the tribe comfortable. M’lar, Cody and the children were taken to a larger room than they had occupied before. Sitting on the bed was M’lar’s bag of holding and she rushed to lay Ardy with Paul on the bed and grabbed the bag up and opened it and her eyes alight she ran to Cody to hug him tight. “You kept it you kept it safe?” She kissed him excitedly over his face her excitement just as prominent as she was excited. 

He lifted her up swung her around kissed her deeply feeling her drop her bag of holding. Going down on one knee he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a ring that held the pefect pearl and pulled her hand forwards, “Marry me and make me an honest man, marry me tonight and say you will be Mrs. Cody Perkins also known as Paul Perkins. Say you will be mine now and forever my dearest love.” He kissed her hand and then slid the ring on and she smiled and nodded.

“I will marry you Paul Perkins. I will marry you and make you and me honest and our children legitimate. Can we do it tonight?” She was filled with her love of him and she could see the light of his love shining through the smile on his face and in his eyes. 

“Always I will be yours, let me go tell Vlad and see if we can use the chapel. Then we will get Vlad to marry us and finally we will be a family, you, me and the children.” 

Chapel of the Monastery of Last Hope

Multan waited for M’lar to come down the stairs and as she appeared his eyes widen, the dress she had selected was simple lines white and flowing over her body to enhance her new figure to its fullest, her breast full of milk were larger than he remembered, and her hair had been styled and pulled into ringlets to lay over her shoulder and down her back. She held a small bouquet of flowers in her hand and over her head was a shear veil. She paused and looked around and smiled, “Well how do I look? Do I look good enough to marry him?” She whispered with a hopeful wistfulness in her voice. She saw him open his mouth close it and gulp.

“I would say lass that you are more than good enough to marry him and when he sees you in that dress. He is going to want to bed you in front of us all. Now come along we gotta get you married before the boy pops!” He snagged her hand tucked it in the bend of his arm and stood looking forward. M’lar had noted he had cleaned up and was wearing fresh new looking clothing and she smiled. When they had stepped through the door M’lar saw him waiting for her at the end of the chapel and he wore nobleman’s clothing and she thought he looked wonderfully perfect to be her husband this day. Vlad began to tear up seeing her appear in the doorway and he sniffed and cleared his throat. 

M’lar walked towards Cody, in her heart she knew she had found lasting love with this man that now shared her time and her life, she also knew they had a long way to go but this night, oh this night was going to be just for them. Standing next to Multan Vlad asked who gives this woman to this man and she smiled and said without hesitation, “I give myself, body, soul and heart to this man if he will have me.” She let Multan extend her hand to him and he gently took her small hand in his and peered down in her eyes.

“I take this hand and I will hold this hand to the end of time from now until forever.” He smiled and she could see the smile and she turned with him to face Vlad.   
“Today we end one adventure alone but together today we begin a new adventure as these two shall be joined in matrimony for now and forever until the god’s deem it no more.” Vlad smiled looked at Cody, “Do you take this woman as yours Cody for now and forever?” Cody turned to face M’lar and she turned to face him and their eyes spoke more than words could between the two. Cody smiled.

“I take this woman in sickness, and in health, for richer or poorer until death do us … “ he paused because he knew in another time and another place death had parted them before they could take this step. He smiled “Death do us part.” 

Vlad smiled and turned to M’lar and do you M’lar take this man from now until forever?” 

M’lar smiled “I take this man in sickness and health, for richer or poorer until death do us part.” She smiled watching him return her smile and look into her soul with his gaze.

“Then I pronounce you bonded and forever mated this very day. Cody you may kiss your bride.” He did not get the words out before Cody had lifted her veil and taken her in his arms tipped her back and kissed her deeply sealing their love with this chapter of their lives.

The End of this chapter but the Beginning of the next one please join us for Book 2 Whispers in the Shadows of Ravenloft.


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